


An Unexpected Love Story

by Midnighttomoscow



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Angst, Canon Continuation, Eventual Romance, F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 05:53:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 48,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16848385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnighttomoscow/pseuds/Midnighttomoscow
Summary: After uprooting her life and moving to the states, Kagome is attending her best friends wedding when something strange happens. During the bachelorette party she catches something she hasn't seen in many years, a glimpse of silver. But this is the wrong glimpse of silver. With only each other left they try to find solitude in one another as they hurtle through every day life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is a repost from my fanfiction account just in case it gets deleted for being mature.

Part One: Vegas

Chapter One: 

I smile as I'm thrust more drinks from already drunk hands. I'm being held hostage, technically, and I'm looking for an escape. Of all the places in the world, Melanie decides to hold her wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Not some beautiful hot spot destination that you dream of where you float in tranquility and awe, but the loud, hustling, dirty, gambling town of glitter and sparkle.

The bride in question, sits on her arranged pedestal as everyone fawns over her.

"Kagome! Darling! We should go out on the strip shouldn't we? Look at how beautiful it is out there! Come on girls, all this beauty can't go to waste!" The entire entourage of bridesmaids make a beeline for the door. Melanie and I are some of the last to exit and I can feel a small hand wrap around my arm to find my palm. At the end of my wrist I find a very drunk Mel trying to shove a wad of small bills into my hand.

"What are you doing? Do you want us to get robbed or something?”

"I think you're going to need it for where we're going. You'll be thanking me in the morning." She attempts a wink, something she is unable to do even while sober, and stumbles out the door behind me.

"Oh dear." What on earth is Mel getting us into? 

I really do adore her, with all of my heart in fact. She's the sister I never had. However, when the limousine pulls into what I can only guess is a strip club I want to scream at the top of my lungs, throw the money I was given onto the pavement, and run all the way home. All the way to Japan. All the way to the well.

The well that no longer works. I want to see the people that no longer exist. Slay the demons that now, have died out. The jewel that no longer possesses any power. A jewel that’s all used up with no more wishes. I want nothing more than to return to a past that no one here knows about.

"Come on Kagome, it'll be fun!" Someone grabs a hold of me and I’m sucked into the black hole doors. All of my previous escape plans now no longer acceptable.

It's a strip club alright. One that is exclusively for women. They come in looking for dates and leave with much more, no dinner or wine and dine required.

The wedding party slides into a section, bride to be front row center while I stay on the outskirts, scoping for a new escape. Music blares. One of those endless songs, with an endless beat. Male strippers parade around on a runway of glitter and gold before choosing tables.

"Hey there ladies, my name is Pierre. Who am I pleasing first?" He shoots a suave look to everyone and I find even myself staring.

Melanie the self-proclaimed queen bee to her drones, orders him to please a rather rotund woman of our party in her classic Melanie tone.

He leaps onto the table and begins to shake his hips in a way I am assuming is supposed to be seductive. The girls eat it up, they cat-call and hoot at him as he slithers down to eye level and starts to gyrate some more. 

After a couple of minutes, the music changes but the beat doesn’t. Pierre bids us au revoir and another dancer hops onto our table. He introduces himself just as Pierre did.

Musical chairs for adults. Mel orders him off to some other patron of the wedding, while I try to hide. 

I sit quietly on the edge. Everyone else talks and laughs in a drunken stupor. I'm looking for exits when something catches my eye. Just the smallest glimpse of silver. I steady myself and take a deep breath. It couldn't be. My heart pounds as I close my eyes. The music changes and Jason steps off the table. My eyes still closed I hear the next stripper step on.

"Good evening ladies." I'm too scared to open my eyes but that fear forces them open, and I stare at his feet.

"My name is…" My curious eyes continue northward in an unflattering manor over tight calves, knees, thighs then his leather clad pelvic region and bare chest. 

"Ichiro." No it's not. My eyes wide I can’t help but stare. My whole body is screaming, begging me to touch him. Not in a sexual way, but in the most innocent of ways to see if he is actually there, and if it is truly him. 

"Who shall I be pleasing tonight?" The eyes are nothing but a confirmation. Those cold eyes, that now, suddenly look so exhausted. My mind races and wanders trying to pinpoint what his exhaustion could be from, this man, this demon. This ageless demon who has been roaming with no home for only he knows how long.

"Sesshoumaru." I whisper so low and see his ears twitch. I lock onto his gaze and want to scream. Mel catches this and reads it as lust.

"I think it's Kagome's turn!” I feel the blood completely drain from my body. His eyes never leave mine. I'm bursting with questions. Where is Rin? Jaken? How did he end up here of all places, doing this of all jobs? What happened after that day?

I feel degraded. This once powerful demon lord now reduced to this, a dancer. I feel like I should avert my eyes and look away but I can’t, I can’t seem to pry my eyes away from his. 

The music changes and he takes an audible breath, his eyes never leaving mine as he steps down and turns. Suddenly everything is so loud. Mel laughs and calls this dance for herself, exclaiming she’s the guest of honour.

I want to do nothing but leave this place, but the door is a black hole and we've turned into nothing but anti matter. Don't let us collide or we'll explode and destroy everything in our way.

Much like he used to. The great and terrible dog demon of the West, impassive, cold, brutal, lonely. He was hiding in his eyes. Those eyes that are so similar but so different to his brother. Sorry, half-brother. My mind wanders, and I wonder if he has his father’s eyes. 

When we leave it is morning. No one walks the streets, only the entertainers coming from or going to work.

"I think you liked him." Melanie blurts as we go off to our separate but adjoining rooms.

"Sleep tight Mel." I close the door and cut her off. Cut me off. Cut off the flow of the outside world, so it won't pollute me.

I flop onto the bed and grit my teeth. So many questions. So many unknown answers that may forever stay unanswered. Rolling over, I pull my legs up to my chest and place my chin on my knees. So full of scars from falling so many years ago, from being reckless and living reckless.

I would love to live reckless once more. I spread out my arms and legs, looking over to the connecting door.

Perhaps.   
I slip over, unlock the door and pull it open just a crack. Mel left her side of the door open.

Sliding inside I'm on a mission for a card, a number, a receipt linking me back to that place.

I find a receipt. Creeping out of Mel's room I formulate a plan. I decide to call the club, but first I need the number which is not on the paper in my hand. Though, I know how to find it.

"Hello front desk? Can you find a phone number for me?" The voice on the other end takes a breath and says yes.

"Okay, the place is called Escorts with Etiquette." The voice on the other end takes another breath and tells me the number. My hands shake as I write it down as fast as possible. Bile rises into my throat along with a million what if’s and a small voice screaming ‘Put the phone down!’

"Hello, can I speak to Sessho…uhm Ichiro please?" I hold my breath as he tells me hold on. There’s a series of muffled shouts and I can hear them passing the phone around. Maybe he went home after we left? 

There's a familiar breath on the other end.

"Hello?" I let out the breath I was holding for so long, and start to cry as he breathes on the other end…waiting.

"I-I'm sorry. I just, I haven't seen anyone in so long. I-I'm a little overwhelmed. I have so many questions." I wipe my teary eyes and breathe. One prominent question surfaces.

"What happened?" Nothing but breathing. Slow, monotonous breathing. Calculated, precise breathing.

“I left.” Well that is an obvious answer.

"And what about Inuyasha?” I almost don’t want to ask. I almost don't want to know the answer, I’ve lived so long not knowing, why would knowing be so different. 

"He's dead." He's dead. I knew he would be. I knew he was. Some hidden part was secretly whispering he was still alive. It was the same voice that told me to jump when I stood on the edge of tall buildings.

"He's dead? How? He's... gone?”

"He wouldn't have lived this long anyway. Myoga said something about a cliff. But I didn't pay it much attention." I can hear the offhandedness in his tone and I want to scream at him, but instead. "Why are you a stripper in Las Vegas?" 

There's a thread coming out of the hotel bed spread and all I want to do is pull it then watch it unravel, just like my dreams just did.

"I don't remember, I try to keep moving so people won't realize anything about me.”

"I see. When did you leave Japan?”

"Many centuries ago.”

"Have you gone back?”

“No."

"Me neither." There's silence, I close my eyes and see his sad eyes looking down at me from his tall height on the table. He somehow still looked noble, formidable even, clad in nothing but tight leather, but I don't care about that. I care about his sad eyes and nothing more.

"Do you want to go for coffee? I just want to see you, so I can let go of the past and to face facts that you're alive so many ye-”

"Sure. You don't have to ramble." Cold, serious, to the point. Normal.

I feel a smile spread across my lips.

_______________________________________________________________

End Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

Part One: Vegas 

Chapter Two:

Strolling down to the lobby, after scribbling a quick note to Mel and leaving it on my bed, a question scrolls into my mind. What will he wear? 

The Sesshoumaru I once knew wore nothing but silk kimonos, the finest armour and that god awful pelt thing that did nothing but consume him. He was always pristine, always clean. Everything fell perfectly from his form like it was made just for him and no one else. Which in hindsight it probably was, considering he was a demon lord. 

I'm sitting in the lobby when I get my answer. A suit, he's in a suit, at 7a.m. in Las Vegas heat, but of course, it's a dry heat.

We walk into the hotel’s restaurant in silence. Neither of us said hello. We didn't even nod. I can feel his left arm close to my right as we wait to be seated. 

The waitress is staring at him as she hands us our menus, but he does nothing but look at me, almost as if he doesn’t understand why I’m here. 

We sit, just looking at each other, for a long time. The waitress comes back and looks at him again. He orders nothing but coffee. I order the biggest grand slam breakfast they have with extra pancakes, an old hangover favourite of mine. The entire time the waitress is taking my order I can see her sneak glances at Sesshoumaru, the dog demon who is having coffee for breakfast. 

When she leaves he helps himself to an immense amount of cream and sugar for his coffee.

I start to laugh and see his eyebrow twitch.

"We should probably talk." I throw him a smile and he does nothing but nod, sipping his coffee gently. 

"It's so... surreal. Seeing you here. In these clothes. In this time. Doing what you do.”

"Is it so different then your time with my half-brother? In the clothes you wore? Doing what you did?" He picks up the mug and lets the waitress look at him again. She gives me my food and I am so hungry I could have inhaled the whole thing in one bite. But the lady in me tells me I should chew my food before I choke. 

"So, you're saying we have something in common?" He takes a graceful sip and I see his eyebrow twitch.

"We share some things you know. We're connected by many things. We’re both misplaced. We have belonged in the wrong time. We fought for the same cause eons ago, and we lost the same person." I can't bring myself to say his name just yet. Not when his eyes are looking at me.

"But you loved the mutt. I did not.” He says this almost in a correcting tone. 

"I didn't say we were carbon copies of each other. But he was your brother.”

"Half-brother." He corrects me and places a hand on the small table we're seated at. He leans back gracefully and looks up, letting out a long calculated breath. 

"What did you ever see in him?" He asks the ceiling.

"I don't know, but it must have been beautiful, because I sure did stay for a long time." I answer to his upturned throat. He tilts his head back down and looks at his mug. I see his eyebrow twitch again.

"I think it was his stubborn personality, protective nature and those eyes full of mischief." I smile into my pancakeless plate. I put my elbows onto the table and shove my forehead into my hands, willing myself not to cry.

"I feel so pathetic crying over someone who died before I was born." I state calmly swatting away a stray tear. Still, no matter how many times I say it to myself I still can’t believe it. I feel a twang of guilt that I haven’t felt in a while. 

"You have the same eyes you know. Well, sort of.” I don’t look at his eyes. Instead I look at his tie.

"I have nothing in common with him." The waitress is back to stare some more. I don't understand why she's looking at him as if he shouldn't exist. Well, he shouldn't really. Just like I shouldn't have existed in his time. People used to stare at me just like this waitress staring at him.

We pay and stand slowly.

"Where are you living?" He looks at the ceiling in the lobby before answering.

"Out in the suburbs." I can't picture him living in a cookie cutter house with the cookie cutter people who do cookie cutter things. I giggle as I picture him watering the lawn in his 'work outfit'. 

"You don't fit in there, do you?" He turns to me and shoves one hand in his pocket before replying. "Do you fit in right here? Right now?” No. I don't. I never have. Not here. Not there. Not now, and not then.

"I think your friend is looking for you." He takes his hand out of his pocket and points one clawed finger towards a confused and disheveled Melanie.

"I think we should keep in touch." I hand him my cell number scribbled on a crumpled napkin and he hands me a card. Very professional for a stripper.

I get an urge to hug him and before I can control it, I toss my arms around his neck. He takes my hands from around his neck and turns around. Disappearing out the doors.

"Ka-go-me! Ka-gooooo-me!" Mel sing songs my name while jogging over.

"Hey, wasn't that the stripper from last night?" Yes…

"No. An old friend." Old is an understatement, He's your great grandfather times fifty.

"Hmm... He looked familiar. Oh and by the way, you scared the almighty Christ out of me. I just thought you should know."

_______________________________________________________

I don't fit in anywhere. Not here, in Mel's hotel room, as she shouts at anything that doesn't go her way. Not with the other bridesmaids who are getting drunk…again.

It's four days before the wedding and Ted, Mel's husband to be, is flying in today. Which means I will be left alone.

"What are you going to do while Teddy and I finish some business?" I shrug. I seriously don't know.

"Shannon, Tammy and Carol are hitting the pool, why don't you join them?” She's trying to make me happy. Actually, she's trying to make herself happy, then me. But you see, that’s how Mel works, she’s all southern charm and hospitality until she needs something. She’s the most self-centered person you will ever meet, but in the sweetest way. 

"Maybe." There's a certain business card burning a hole in my pocket. I'm dying to call him. I want to see him again. I want to turn those cold eyes soft. My body aches for something familiar to be seen. Even if it is his half-brother it makes me feel closer to him, makes me feel better about myself for abandoning him in my own selfish desire to return home. 

I stare at the hotel bed spread and look for a thread to tug, suddenly feeling guilty at my own selfish desires. 

"Alrighty I'm off to the airport. Call me later alright?" I nod because it will make her happy and leap to the phone before the door even closes. I have a schizophrenic argument with myself before dialling the number.

"Hello." It's not a question when he says it. He knows it's me.

"Would you like to spend the day with me?" I hear a familiar breath.

“Ok."

I wait in the lobby for him, sitting impatiently near some tourists that just arrived. I'm nervous, I keep expecting to see Inuyasha instead of him, but his eyes always stare back. I keep seeing the wrong flash of silver and gold. The same eyes yet so different. 

I wonder if he'll drive over. What type of car does an ex demon war lord drive? I picture Sesshoumaru driving a convertible with sunglasses on and catch myself giggling. 

I see him glide in through the front doors and all eyes are on him as always. He spots me and walks over.

"Where will we go?" I ask.

"Is it not custom for you to choose? You were the one to call me.”

"Uhh... well. I guess so, but, since you're the one who lives here, I thought I would let you decide. Since you know the area so much better than I do.” Smooth Kagome. Very smooth. I find myself looking at his flip flopped feet and smiling. So out of place. Everything about the way he's dressed is so put together, yet so out of place. 

"I don't know what you're interested in." Nothing in this town that's for sure.

"Let's go grab coffee on a patio somewhere then." He nods slowly and we stroll past all of the eyes that have fixated on us. My phone rings. I try to ignore it but can feel him staring at me. 

“Your phone is ringing.” I try to brush it off like I didn’t hear it the first time, I know exactly who’s calling me. 

"Hello?" I can hear Ted in the background.

"Kagome! Do you want to come and spend the day with me and Teddy on the strip?" I can feel her giddiness through the cellphone.

"Well, actually…“

"We're just walking in the front doors now to come get you." I spot her a split second before she spots me. I can feel Sesshoumaru take a breath beside me.

"Kagome! You're already down?" She squeals giving Ted a tug.

"Well yeah, because…“

"And you have a new friend! Hi my name is Melanie, and this is my fiancé Teddy." Sesshoumaru gives an obligatory nod and shakes their hands.

"Why don't the both of you come out and spend the day with us?" Ted suggests looking at Melanie, and I want to kill the two of them right now. In front of everyone. 

"Well, we were just going out to grab a bite to eat…” I try to finish my sentence and escape their grasp but I’m cut off. 

"Perfect! Ted's starving, we can go out together then decide!" She’s already tugging Ted along and I want to cry.

"Come on Kagome!" Mel shouts over her shoulder and I look to Sesshoumaru for some sort of response. All I get is a minuscule shrug. We follow quietly behind the two love birds and once again, I’m looking for an escape route. An excuse, a door, anything at this moment would do.

We're seated under an umbrella on a patio. Ted flashes a non-threatening grin before posing his question.

"So I never did catch your name?" I look at Sesshoumaru. His face never changes, I can feel myself go bright red with anxiety. Please don’t use the stripper name…

"Ichiro." Melanie's too busy looking at the menu to put two and two together.

"Kags? Will you split something with me? I don't want to eat a whole meal this close to D-day.”

"D-day?"  
"Dress day! Ya know, the wedding day!" Oh Sesshoumaru I'm so sorry you need to sit through this.

We don't talk much during the meal. Well Sesshoumaru and I don't. He sits, with his left hand on the table, so close to mine and all I want to do is touch it. Grab hold of his hand, see if it's really there. I just want to touch him.

Make sure he’s real and there and with me right now, my little slice of the past. So much like Inuyasha but the exact polar opposite at the same time. 

"Right Kagome?”

"What?" I'm shaken out of my want by Mel. She has her commanding face on again.

"We should go to New York, New York and ride the coaster.”

"Oh, uh sure." I look over to see Sesshoumaru's emotionless expression stare back. 

"So Ichiro, do you live in Vegas?" Ted's trying to engage the foreign predator.

"Yes."  
"Whereabouts do you live?" I need to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"In the suburbs, just on the outskirts." He makes such strong eye contact. Ted is always the first to look away. Ted is full of questions. Thank god we get to the roller coaster before he has a chance to ask about his career. That would just end beautifully.

Oh yes he’s a stripper but he’s also a five hundred year old Japanese dog demon who used to command the entire Western half of the country! So if you need advice from an ageless war lord you know who to turn to! 

I have to stop myself from laughing at my own inner monologue. Sesshoumaru shoots me a quizzical look but I don’t offer an explanation. 

We wait in line and I reach into my pocket to pay, feeling a hand brush mine. His left hand holds mine back as he pays with his right. That left arm of his, the one that was once gone, is strong and soft against my own arm. 

"Thank you." I whisper as Mel and Ted sprint for seats.

"I've never been here before." He whispers back as we sit down. I show him what to do and he holds on so tight that I'm worried the metal will bend in his grip. 

Part of me wants to reach out and un-pry his fingers before we shoot off onto the tracks of loops and drops. Part of me laughs as the ride begins and we climb to the summit. So many floors above the strip. 

This side of him, this oh so lovely, vulnerable side, where I'm the one teaching him things of my world that we both somehow ended up inhabiting together somehow is showing. But, as always, when the ride stops his face returns to stone, that same bored expression he always wears. 

____________________________________________________________

We are pulled and dragged, yanked and tugged all along the strip. I teach Sesshoumaru so many new things about life now. I see his eyebrow twitch and already know the answer to his unspoken question.

The sun sets on the desert. Ted and Mel are trying to get me to go out drinking with them.

"Come on Kagome! Remember back in university, we used to go out drinking all the time. Let's go out again for old time’s sake." I turn to Sesshoumaru and plead with my eyes. I don’t want to drink, I want to talk to him, and I want to ask him so many questions. 

"Well, actually, you wanted to come back to my house to catch up?" I smile as we say our goodbyes for the night.

"Thank you." He hails a cab and we slide in.

"You don't actually have to come to my house if you don't wish to.”

"But I want to." I touch his hand that's resting on his knee and smile.

The silence we are able to envelope ourselves in is so comfortable. We pull up to his cookie cutter house with a postage stamp sized lawn. He pays the driver.

"So, do you guys have block parties and barbecues?" I see his eyebrow twitch as he fiddles with his keys.

"You know neighborly activities?" He unlocks the door and pushes it open.

"No. I don't talk to anyone, and they don't talk to me." There’s barking and claws clicking on hardwood coming from a room I can't see.

"You have a dog?” He nods as if I should have known this and opens the door, letting the pristinely white bijon out. The dog sniffs my hand before following him into the kitchen.

"I can't believe you of all people, have a dog. What's its name?” I guess even demons feel the human emotion of loneliness. 

"He doesn't have one." He scoops dog food into a silver dish and refills the water. All of this is almost too much for me to handle.

"How can he not have a name?" Sesshoumaru shrugs and looks at me.

"Well he needs a name. Can I name him?" He shrugs. I look at the little white ball of fur that just stares back.

"His name is Moichi." Sesshoumaru nods and starts pulling things from the fridge.

"Would you like some dinner?" This shouldn't be possible. We stare at each other for a moment and I remember that I'm supposed to answer.

"Oh. Sure. Are you going to cook?" I slide into a bar stool at the counter.

"Yes." I don't know if I should be worried or gratefull. I sit quietly playing with Moichi while he prepares our dinner.

We eat sitting across from each other at his kitchen table, and it's the best pasta I've ever had.

"So, how did you get Moichi?" He looks up at me and registers the question.

"I found him not too long ago leaving work." My mind can't process Sesshoumaru picking up a stray dog on his way out of the strip club.

"Do you have to work tonight?”

"Not until later." We finish up in comfortable silence and gravitate towards the T.V.

"I can't seem to get all this through my mind.”

"You assimilated into my time quite well after a while. I just did the same." He looks over to me. I have my knees tucked to my chest, sitting rather unladylike on his couch, then I see it. The ice melt.

The walls come down, and I see myself staring into Inuyasha's eyes. I feel like I'm staring at him for hours. I'm leaning forward now on my knees trying to get as close as I can before the cold comes back. But it doesn’t.

"I'm so sorry. I-I don't know what I was thinking." I look away to blush and his hand finds my cheek, bringing it back so I'm forced to look at his eyes.

He drops his hand and looks back at the unwatched movie. I place my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arm around his.

Comfort in loneliness is still comfort, and I find it in him. Something that once made me so comfortable. The protection I once felt and missed so much is now returning. 

________________________________________________________________

End of Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

Part One: Vegas

Chapter Three: 

I awake in a strange place, to a strange sound. It's my phone and I’m on a foreign couch.

"Mmmm... Hello?" 

"Kagome?! My god! Where the fuck are you!?”

I open my eyes, and see a piece of paper on the table in front of me.

Left for work. You were asleep. There's money for a cab on the counter.

He has beautiful calligraphy. As if it would be anything else, Sesshoumaru, the most calculated individual I’ve ever met would never have sloppy calligraphy. 

"I'm at Sessh…Ichiro's. I'll be in the hotel lobby in two hours." I hang up before she can say a word.

"Well good morning Moichi. I hope Sesshoumaru has gum." I get up and start to rummage through drawers.

"No gum. Well, he won't mind me taking a shower." Moichi sticks his tongue out and winds around my legs, smiling the whole time. 

Climbing the stairs two at a time, I race to the top, and find the master bathroom, the only one with a shower.

"He'll just need to deal with this if he has a weird quirk about other people using his shower, because I'm gross." I locate what I need and figure out the workings of this foreign shower easy enough, then proceed to take the fastest shower ever not recorded in human history.

My hair is still wet when I get to the hotel. I give the cabby the money Sesshoumaru left for me and stroll through the front doors.

"Oh oh ohhhhhh! Jesus Kagome! Same clothes as yesterday?" Melanie shouts from the other side of the lobby, and all I want to do is take my messenger bag and choke her with it.

Some men passing by whistle and cat call. I feel myself turn bright red. 

"Well thanks Mel for letting the whole lobby know.” I will my cheeks to stop blushing. 

"It's Vegas baby. They need to know." She answers down her nose. It's when she gets like this that I question our friendship.

________________________________________________________

Melanie allows me the decency to change before she drags me out of the hotel onto the street. It’s hot today, so hot I can feel myself begin to sweat mere steps from the front door. 

“We should sit on a patio, maybe I’ll darken my tan a little.” I look at her from the corner of my eye, like she isn’t dark enough already. 

“Why don’t we start out on the patio? I haven’t had breakfast yet.” She grabs hold of my hand with her slender fingers. 

“Oh Kagome, its drinking time.” She gives a laugh and I instantly regret my decision of coming out with her. 

“It’s still early!” I protest but I can see her shaking her head out of the corner of my eye. 

“Oh no it’s not, you slept well past noon! Let’s grab some lunch and split a pitcher.” Shooting her a pleading look she takes no notice and continues to tug me along the sidewalk. Distaste pushed aside I dutifully follow her.

“I think you are the only person in this whole world who is turning down coming to lunch, and getting drunk with me!” I moan even louder. 

It’s too late, we’re already seated and I’m still protesting as she pours me the largest glass of Sangria ever. It wasn’t so much a glass as a small fish bowl, or better yet a vase. 

“This is literally a vase full of sangria.” 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing!” She gives a giggle and takes quite a generous gulp. 

“It kind of is a bad thing.” Cautious, I sip the meniscus from the top as she continues to chastise me for my unwillingness to partake in her shenanigans. 

“Oh come on! Since when have fish bowls been a bad thing? You used to drink them with me all the time in college!” This is very true. 

Back in college, Mel and I used to go out all the time together. At one point in our school days we were going out three to four times a week. The bartender on campus knew us by name, he even knew our orders according to how Mel was dressed. 

Anything that showed off her stomach meant she wanted to get laid, and I was her sober companion so nothing bad would happen. 

They would have an event once a month where you could bring in any container you wanted and they would fill it with beer. 

The bar held the event twice before it got shut down. 

The first time we went I brought a measuring cup, Mel laughed and brought a vase. Someone even brought a small aquarium. Needless to say, people got drunk really fast and things subsequently went downhill. Ever since our party days, I was always the tame one. I was always the one to make sure we got home in one piece, always the one to put Mel to bed and tie her hair back so it wouldn’t get all pukey. 

The responsible one has always been the role I played in life. Even in the past, not just college, I was the glue that held everything together. 

For once in my life, I don’t want to live up to anyone’s expectations but my own. I want to take a vacation from being the responsible one even if it is just for a day. 

“Fine, fine I’ll drink with you. But we need to order some food too! I’m not dragging your drunk ass back to the hotel because you’re too much of a light weight!” She smiles so wide I’m afraid her cheeks will break.

________________________________________________________

I’m two vases-full deep and my mouth is numb. We sit like lizards basking in the sun of the patio, watching the people rush by, off to see or do the next thing as we relax. 

My hands and feet are nothing but pins and needles, I know as soon as I stand up this head rush will hit me full force. 

I have to pee but I don’t want to stand. 

The waitress comes by again and gives us another pitcher. We’ve already finished one, we even ate all the fruit. 

“So Kagome…“ Mel is in a asking questions mood today. “Tell me, about that man you brought with us the other day.” She throws her elbow on the table, leaning her chin on her hand for support. 

“He’s a friend.” I don’t know how else I could possibly answer this question. That is all Sesshoumaru is, nothing more than a friend. A friend with pretty hair and nice eyes. 

But how could I think of him as more than a friend? He is the half-brother of the love of my life. Inuyasha’s death still hasn’t quite hit me yet, I know it has happened and I know how I feel about it. I just haven’t processed those feelings yet. 

I am a different person then who I was all those years ago. My mind wanders to the last time I saw him in his own time. 

I remember what he looked like, he startled me so badly when he came out of nowhere. That was the first day I noticed his eyes turn soft. He carried a small bag filled with goodies for Rin and it made my heart melt a little bit for him. 

The terrifying and great dog demon of the we stern lands dropping off goodies for his little girl. 

My heart aches and I couldn’t tell you why. 

“Oh come on! Don’t lie to me! I can tell when you lie!” She giggles girlishly and I can feel myself blushing. 

Mel knows a loose version of my past in Japan. She thinks that my fiancé was in a car accident, and I came to school in America so I wouldn’t have to relive the pain in Japan. 

Not completely true but not completely false. 

“He’s my ex fiancé’s half-brother.” I look into my fish bowl and watch the little drunk strawberries swim around like fish. I’m not drunk enough to be talking about this. Mel feels the tension and drops the subject immediately. 

She looks into her own fish bowl and stays quiet. 

“It’s alright Mel. I’m fine, I’m glad he’s here. I’m glad he’s back in my life.” Which is not a lie. I am glad he is here, I am glad he’s back in my life. I need him, he is my familiar face in a sea of strangers. 

________________________________________________________

We’ve been drinking all afternoon, I can feel the sunburn on my face, its dull throb playing a rhythmic beat across my cheeks. 

Mel is burnt too, her nose shines a bright shade of pink as she pays our bill. 

“This is something I needed to do.” I inform her holding my phone out. She gives me a quizzical look. 

“I would like to go and see Sesshoumaru.” I tell her matter of factly. My body is working of its own accord now and I think that this is the best idea I have ever had. Dialing my phone we are still sitting on the patio. 

“Hello!” I shout before he beats me to it. I can almost hear him raise his perfect eyebrow.

“I would like to see you.” I can hear him breathing on the other end. I don’t think he knows how to respond. 

“Now.” My tone is very serious now. 

“I need to know where you are first.” He states as I look at Mel. 

“I don’t know where we are.” My confidence is suddenly gone and I don’t know why I’m on the phone. I want to melt into a puddle under my chair. Mel shrugs and I try to crane my neck to see what the awning says or give him some sort of land mark. 

“I have no idea where we are and neither does Mel, I am quite sure that we are both too drunk to successfully make it to the hotel.” I hear him exhale but I can’t tell what he’s feeling. 

“We’re at a bar.” Mel shouts into the mouth piece, leaning across the table to do so.   
“You’re at H2O bar south of the Bellagio.” A man chimes in. He sits next to us with three of his friends. All of them are looking at me, their eyes boring into my soul. 

“Yeah that’s where we are.” I hang up the phone before he has time to answer. Mel has her head on the table, now too intoxicated to hold it aloft on her neck. 

“So, what brings you ladies to Vegas?” The man asks and I stare at him. It takes me a few moments to process his question, I’m too busy trying to figure out why they’re staring at me. 

“She’s getting married.” I answer quickly, childishly pointing at Mel who does nothing but raise her hand in acknowledgment. 

“So, are you the maid of honor?” I feel like if I take my eyes off his he’s going to pounce on me. Ice runs down my spine and I don’t feel safe. 

Nodding I try to catch an exit from my peripheral vision, doing my best to keep up his intense eye contact. The men he’s with share glances before looking at Mel. 

“Quite the maid of honor letting her get drunk like this.” He offers a chuckle and I finally break contact with him. I need to get out of here with Mel right now. 

I stand and it’s hard to catch my balance. He stands too and my heart pounds. I’m trying to rouse Mel awake and up but she keeps swatting my petulant hand away. I continue to grab and claw at her until she finally acknowledges my presence and takes hold of my hand. Hoisting her to her feet I half drag her to the exit, the man still in tow. 

Ugh get away, get away! 

I’m pulling her out of the restaurant and onto the side walk where she stumbles next to me, most of her weight on my drunk shoulders. 

This is why I never drink anymore, things like this always happen! I’m panicking but only mildly by the time we’re a block away, I’m too scared to look over my shoulder to see if they’re still following. 

“What’s wrong? Where are you going?” His familiar voice brings everything back to normal. I’ve never been so excited to see anyone in my entire life. 

“Help, she’s so drunk I can’t lift her anymore!” I stumble over my own feet and Mel almost hits the concrete. With a swift hand Sesshoumaru grabs Mel in one arm and me in the other. 

I hail a cab and he piles us in. 

“Ugh it was fine until those guys got creepy!” He stares, eyes forward, blank expression across his face. Maybe he’s mad at me for calling him? 

I hold onto the back of the cab seat for dear life as it races back to our hotel, the momentary rush of adrenaline now gone replacing it once again with alcohol infused worry. 

We pull up to the hotel and Ted is waiting for us. 

“Mel has been giving me the play by play this whole time.” He motions to his cell phone and shoots Sesshoumaru a nod. 

“Thank you for making sure she got here alright.” He turns and brings her into the cool air conditioning. I try to stand and leave as well. 

“I do not think that is a good idea.” His tone is stern with me, as if he were chastising a child for doing something stupid. 

“Well why not?” I try to stand once more and end up on my butt once more. He reaches across me and closes the door, instructing the driver to continue on to his house. 

I don’t protest, I don’t even squirm. The car drives along and I do and say nothing. Partially because I think I’m about to be ill, but mostly because I just want to be alone with him again. 

We arrive and he brings me into the house carefully, placing me on his couch before continuing to the kitchen. 

I peak over the arm rest and watch as he scoops the dog food into the bowl. He's walking back towards the couch and I throw the blanket over myself to hide. He's mad. I can feel it. I'm on my elbows and knees huddled around myself. I peer out and he's looking at me. I see his eyebrow twitch.

"You're mad aren't you?" I whisper quietly. I feel a clawed hand brush over the top of my head as he lifts the blanket off slowly.

"Why would I be mad?" He has his iceless eyes on and I melt. I imagine that this is the way he spoke to Rin. 

"Because I'm druuuunk." I tell him, drawing out the word drunk and adding too many vowels.

"Why would that make me mad?" I put my head on his lap because it’s now too heavy for my neck and body to bear.

"Because I called… and those men… and Mel, this is all Mel’s fault! She’s such a bad influence…” 

"Maybe, you should sleep." He tries to get up and let me sleep off my intoxication in peace. I hold fast to his legs. 

"Can you stay here?" I whisper and yawn, he settles back down.

________________________________________________________

End Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

Part One: Vegas 

Chapter Four:

I wake up once again on his couch. I have absolutely no recollection of getting here. Once again, there is no one here.

I stand, blanket still around my shoulders and shuffle into the kitchen. Sesshoumaru sits stoically reading the paper and drinking coffee. 

"Good morning." His greeting shocks me. Everything aches.

"Morning." I mumble, he puts the paper down while I gather my thoughts. I’m still standing in the open doorway. 

"Thank you, for letting me stay here, again. You didn't have to, it was very kind." He just looks at me.

"I think it was wise of me to take you here when I did." He lifts up the paper as if to say he's done talking, but the conversation is not over. I sit across from him, helping myself to a cup of coffee from the still warm carafe. 

"Now why do you say that?” Memories of the men following us out of the bar skitters across my scattered brain. 

"Neither of you saw the looks you were getting from those men?" He’s talking to me from behind the paper, as if looking at me will anger him more. I nod my head in recollection of our followers. 

“Oh I saw the looks alright. They followed us right out of the bar.” 

"I could smell their hormones raging." I hear his teeth grit together, the noise sending a chill up and down my spine.

"Ah! Stop that noise! My poor head." I hold my temples, shaking my head violently, causing myself to become dizzy. In defeat I place my head on the table. 

"That's your own doing. Help yourself to the fridge if you wish." With that we slip into our usual silence.

_______________________________________________

 

Melanie doesn't call me until late in the afternoon, so Sesshoumaru and I spend most of our day hanging out with one another. I bring him outside to play ball with Moichi. 

I can see the neighbors peeking from their windows at us. At his beauty, he reclines beneath a maple tree as I toss the ball to Moichi. 

"I don't think you choose not to talk to the neighbors. I think they're discriminating against you." His eyebrow twitches.

"They don't like you because of the way you look." He shrugs from his position on the grass, he seems to have never given it a second thought. 

"I guess so.”

"Doesn't that bother you?" He shrugs again.

"Not even a little bit?”

"They're giving me what I want. Privacy. I do not want to be bothered by pestering humans." It dawns on me. I am a pestering human. The poor demon is trying to live a 'normal' life amongst these people and I’m here kicking up dirt and digging a hole that was just buried.

"No. You are not a pestering human.” He says answering my unspoken question. I suck in a breath and throw the ball I had been holding.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" He taps his nose. That would make sense. Worry causes adrenaline. His keen sense of smell must be even better than Inuyasha’s.

I see an apparition, a hallucination, in the corner of my eye. Inuyasha in his horribly red garb, harrumphing in the corner. All I want to do is reach out. All I want to do is grab hold. 

I melt into the grass, the weight of my thoughts dragging me down into the earth. I want nothing more than to lie here and sleep forever. 

Moichi prances over, wet nose all over my hand still clasped around the tennis ball. He tries his hardest to get the ball from my hand, nipping and pawing at my fingers. I feel Sesshoumaru hover over my crumpled form on the perfect lawn. 

"You look like him, you know?" I tell the ground like I told my pancakes. I look up into his eyes. His eyebrow twitches.

"It's your eyes remember? They're soft and warm now, yet also at the same time cold and guarded. They always hold something." Always full of life. He kneels so we're face to face. Eye to eye. Nose to nose. He lifts my chin with a slender finger, wiping the tears that have slipped down my cheeks away with his thumb.

"You keep saying we're the same. But we have one major difference that sets us worlds apart." He has my face in both his hands. We're nose to nose still. I'm looking at how beautiful he is in the sun.

"He is gone. I am here." With that he closes the minuscule gap that should have never existed between us, and I feel everything around me whizz by at a million miles an hour. This comfort, this protection, it’s something I’ve been looking for but have never been able to find in this time. 

His hand knots in my hair carefully. My body melts into his and I am safe by his side. 

I break for air and touch my nose to his affectionately.

"Thanks for staying alive." I whisper. 

My phone rings, but I don’t want to answer it. I don't want to move.

Sesshoumaru pulls away slightly, and I take my phone out of my pocket.

"Hello?" It's Mel. I can hear Ted in the background.

"Kagome! Are you at Ichiro's again?”

“Yes."

"Jesus you're getting cozy with him.”

"I guess you could say that.”

"Don't forget about the rehearsal dinner tonight. Be back at the hotel around six alright?" I repeat everything back to her like I always do and hang up.

"Uggghhhhh... Mel." I lie back in the grass and close my eyes real tight.

"You need to rehearse, to eat dinner?" He flops down next to me and fully raises an eyebrow.

"It's some dumb wedding thing.”

"Then what's the point of going?" I sit up and pull my knees to my chest.

"It's Mel's wedding, not mine. It's her choice of what she wants to do. So if she wants a rehearsal dinner, a bachelorette party and an enormous ceremony, then she's allowed to have one." We're sitting now, our knees touching in the grass. With a demon that isn't supposed to be here. And I, the priestess who should not have encountered him in the past, I touch his knee gently. "I'm glad you're here."

_______________________________________________

 

"Mel, I hope you don't mind. I brought Ichiro with me." I touch her shoulder as she stares at me blankly. I don't know if she wants to kill me or not.

"Mind? No no no. Not at all, Kags.” She curls up on the bed and bites her fake nails. I pull her hand from her mouth, she's been doing it for a while now, and they’re all mangled and claw like.

"Mel you ruined your nails. What's wrong?" She rolls onto her back and sprawls out.

"I'm so scared that we won't make it. That we'll be one of those divorced couples that got married too young. What if he finds someone younger than me?”

"If he did than it would be illegal.” I pet her forehead, brushing the curls away from her eyes. She looks like a little girl, so small, so scared. 

"That's part of my point. What if we're too young? What if we fall out of love? What if we fight about kids and jobs?" She's sitting up now and on a total rampage. Looking at me with terror in her eyes, she grabs hold of both my hands and gives them a tough squeeze. 

"What if he doesn't like my dress?!" She's near tears and about to scream. I calm her down, but only slightly. Now she’s making me panic, but I try to hide it behind a smile. 

"Kagome, what if I'm about to make the biggest mistake of my life?” Her eyes are watering. I’m holding her face now between two hands and wiping the tears away. She tries to look away but I force eye contact. 

"Well, does it feel like you're making a mistake?”

"No. But what if I…“

"That's not what I asked you. I said does it feel like you're making a mistake, and you said no. So you aren't making a mistake. You’re embarking on a journey.” Tears are slipping down her cheeks. Her mascara runs slightly and with my thumb I try to clean up her tears. 

There's a knock at the door.

"Now that's your husband to be. Go greet him with a smile that reaches your eyes." She gets up. I feel quite proud of myself, I thought that was quite the pep talk. Although I think I feel more solid then she does. 

"Kagome! There's someone here to see you!" I thought Ted was supposed to come up, I walk towards the door and see none other than Sesshoumaru standing in the doorway. Brilliantly dressed as always.

"Sessh…Ichiro?" Ted shoots a coy look at us as he sits in a chair with Melanie, holding her hand tightly. He knows she’s been crying but she wears a smile now. 

"I found him wandering around the lobby. I thought I'd bring you up a little surprise." Mel giggles goofily, her previous what ifs obviously gone.

"You are displeased?" He steps in and closes the door.

"No, no, I'm shocked." I take him into the separate sitting area so Mel and Ted can do whatever Mel and Ted do when no one's looking.

"I haven't even started getting ready yet." I groan. He stands awkwardly as I close off my side of the room. He’s just looking at me with a blank stare, one hand in his pocket, the other hanging by his side. 

"Umm, you can do whatever you want. Mel and Ted are paying for everything so help yourself to the minibar or you can order something on T.V. But no porn." I disappear into the bathroom with a stern finger wag. 

"If I knew you were coming earlier I would have been ready by now." I’m shouting, which is completely unnecessary, but it makes me feel better. 

I wash my face vigorously. There's soap in my eyes and I'm stumbling around looking for a towel.

"Jesus! You scared the bejesus out of me!" I scream when I take the towel from his awaiting hands. He just sits on the bathroom floor, legs folded underneath him and watches me. I continue to get ready as he stares, seemingly enthralled with what I’m doing. He can even make sitting on a grubby hotel bathroom floor look regal. 

"You know what, I changed my mind I don't care what they think. You can order porn if you want, and you don't have to hang out here while I do my hair.”

"I think I'll stay in here." His answer seems rather final. 

I have never been one for elaborate makeup and hair. I feel a little lost when it comes to things like spending hours in front of a mirror perfecting the use of eyeliner and hair tools. I try my hardest to keep my calm when the clip in my hair won’t do what I want it to but to no avail. 

"UGH, I give up on my ridiculous hair!" I slam my hand on the counter, turning from the patronizing mirror. I don't like what I see. 

I can feel his hand take the clip from my clenched fist. He puts the clip into his mouth and motions for me to turn around. He gathers my hair into his hands gently, brushing it out with his fingers as he works away. He slides the clip in and steps away. Looking into the no longer patronizing mirror, I like what I see. I look at him through the mirror.

"Thank you." I whisper. "Now get out. I have to change." I think I see his eyes roll. I slip my dress on and have severe difficulty with the zipper. Finally giving up I step out, holding my dress up as best I can. 

"Zip me up please, and don’t look at my butt!” He looks at me and I think I see a smirk dance across his features. 

“I have already seen it.” My face drops. He has? “That little green thing you used to wear when you were in my time, it did not do its job very well.” He elaborates to my unspoken question. Oh dear.

“Well, then why were you looking at my butt in the first place?” I yell at him lightly. 

“I was not trying to look, it was simply there in my vision once or twice.” I feel myself turn bright red and look away, he zips my dress quietly and I feel my embarrassment rise. 

I don’t want to look at him now, I avoid his gaze at all costs. 

“It is alright, we are even. You have seen me indecent before as well.” He tilts my chin up lightly, forcing me to meet his gaze. 

I guess I have seen him quite indecent, clad in leather, bare chest exposed. Not that it was a bad thing, he was rather well built for stripping actually. Personally I think his demonic marks make him look even better, almost like a badass. 

Oh goodness if he can read mind I’m screwed. 

My impure thoughts dance across my mind. That beautiful hair of his always falling so nicely around him, as if it had a mind of its own. Even on the first night I saw him it flowed perfectly, enveloping his perfectly sculpted body. 

“When do you leave?” His question rouses me from my gutter brain thoughts, and I stare at him for a moment. 

“Soon actually, I have to return to Maine to help curate an upcoming exhibit.” I can see him contemplate something before he states. 

“I’m coming with you.” It is not a question, it’s a statement. I can’t picture him in Maine. 

“Like, you’re coming to live with me?” He nods, blank look now returning to his features. 

“For real?” His eyes become serious and I don’t question him further. 

This will be interesting having an ageless dog demon come and live with me in the suburbs with his dog. Oh I can picture it now, my prying neighbors trying to catch a glimpse of him. Trying to figure out where I found him and if it’s just a coincidence that he showed up right after I got back from Vegas. 

And I will do nothing but let them look and gawk as I get him all to myself. 

_______________________________________________

End of Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

Part One: Vegas

Chapter Five: 

This is my first wedding. I've never been to a single wedding before this one. I have concluded, that I do not like weddings. We sit and Mel talks. We stand, and she talks. Ted does too, but not nearly as much. If this is the rehearsal then I don’t think I want to be a part of the ceremony. 

Once again, I find myself looking for an exit. Sesshoumaru sits quietly next to me, obviously not listening, and I envy him. I find myself sneaking glimpses of him, trying to look at him, without looking at him. He's just so captivating.

We sit at a table with a few other close friends of the bride and groom. Our places are marked with name cards and I can’t help but giggle at Sesshoumaru’s. Written quickly across of the back of a napkin it reads, ‘Sessh-Ichiro’. 

Well at least Mel was listening to me every time I almost accidentally called him by his actual name, and not his ‘stage’ name. Unless of course she thinks it’s some sort of odd Japanese honorific. 

When I first moved to America that was one thing that was hard to break, the honorifics, and I remember Mel asking me so many questions about each and every single one of them. What they all meant and how they were supposed to be used, she was obsessed for all of two weeks. 

The rehearsal ends and Mel dismisses us. I’m roused from my brief reverie as she calls to Sesshoumaru and me. 

She catches up, Ted in tow, grabbing hold of my hand. 

“Would you like to come out with Ted and me? We got put on a guest list for an exclusive club! We can probably get you in as well!” I look to Sesshoumaru and plead with my eyes, please make up a good excuse for us please. 

“Actually, we’re going to go around and see some of the sights.” He says this calmly, entwining his fingers in mine until they’re laced together. She does nothing but shrug, pulling Ted away quickly. 

____________________________________________

I change into something more comfortable and he leaves his suit jacket on my bed. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest I feel like it’s going to crack my ribs. This small amount of time alone excites me and I couldn’t say why. 

"What should we do first?" He shrugs.

“Well considering that this was your idea, shouldn’t you decide where we go?” I ask him, sidling up next to him with authority. 

“Is it not courteous to let the guest decide?” A sly smirk plays across his features and my heart melts. That expressionless look from before is such a rare occurrence now, his features are suddenly always so expressive. I feel as if I am the only one who can read him though, for me and me alone he is an open book, while to the rest of the world he is cold and unfeeling. 

“Why don’t we go gambling? That’s something people do in Vegas it seems, gamble and go to strip clubs.” I root through my suitcase looking for the purse I brought out the night I rekindled an old alliance with the man I’m with now. 

“And since we’ve already been to the strip club this is the last thing waiting to be checked off our list.” I find my purse and pull out a wad of cash, dividing it into two neat and equal piles. 

“Let’s go play some black jack courtesy of Melanie and Theodore’s wedding fund.” I hand him his pile. He refuses to take it and I am forced to shove it in his pocket. 

“You’ve paid for enough of my crap while I’ve been here, it’s the least I can do, even if it isn’t really my own money. It’s the thought that counts.” I flash him a grin before pulling him out into the hallway. 

____________________________________________

The rush is gone. I'm down fifty dollars, Sesshoumaru is up two hundred.

"No, no! I think I'll win this time!" He's grabbing hold of my elbow and trying to pry me away from the table.

"Come." He commands. His hand still gripping my elbow firmly, not enough to hurt, but enough to mean business. I whine, "I could have won that last hand!” He continues to pull me all the way to the exit and cashes his chips, collecting his winnings. 

"Here." He holds out a wad of cash.

"No, you've already paid for enough of my things." I refuse and turn away.

"Here, it's a hundred dollars. You can give it back to your friend.”

"No, it's O.K. I gave you the money, and you won.” I am defeated. How did he get so good at black jack anyways? Did he secretly have a gambling problem that I haven’t caught on to? 

My mind paints a picture of Sesshoumaru going to casinos every morning after work and gambling away all the money he earned stripping. My dirty thoughts even paint him wearing what he wore the first night. 

I can feel myself blush so hard I can’t even look at him. His eyebrow raises at me and I still can’t meet his gaze. 

“How are you so good at black jack anyways?”

“I was a black jack dealer before my work as a stripper.” He says this as if I should have already known. 

“Seriously?”

“Yes. One night a very drunk woman told me I would make a great stripper so I changed careers.” He looks at me with a straight face and I can’t tell if he’s kidding or not. 

“You can’t be serious.”

“But I am always serious. That is how it happened.” Punching his arm lightly he pulls me out of the casino. 

Joking or not I don’t think I will ever know the truth or even the full story of how he went from living in Japan as the great dog demon of the West, to living in Las Vegas as a stripper. 

Part of me wanted to know, but most of me loved the mystery.

____________________________________________

He treats me to drinks at a bar I'm supposed to know, but I don't. So I just smile and pretend I don’t notice that everyone is staring at us, mostly him but it feels better if I think it’s us. 

We leave the bar, my arm in his and stroll down the strip. I can feel the alcohol flowing through my veins. It's already well into the night. All I want to do is find a liquor store.

"We should drink champagne and watch the sunrise. But I'm not paying for champagne on the strip. These prices are ridiculous." I ramble a little longer, he puts a finger to my lips.

"Shh, I'll go wherever you want me to." I blush, turning away. The lights of the strip are soon behind us, but always in view from anywhere we are. I look up and touch his face with my index finger.

"I feel like if I don't touch you or hold onto you, somehow, you’re going to slip away and disappear." He turns so my fingers rest over his lips.

"I'm not going anywhere. Let's get it here." He holds onto me and we enter the brightly lit liquor store.

____________________________________________

It's close to sunrise when we arrive back to the strip. We've opened the bottle of champagne and situated ourselves on the lip of a fountain.

I can see he's keeping a close eye on me. He watches as I sway back and forth, as I slip my flip flop off, as I turn around and finally put my feet into the cold fountain.

"Have you ever wanted to be a fish?" I look into the still dark sky. I can see his face from the corner of my eye as I stand slowly and grab hold of his shoulder for balance. 

"Never ever? You've never wanted to be something so plain and simple? Something so boring and un-flamboyant?" I feel his shoulders shrug under my touch. 

"Look at how everyone looks at you in awe as they walk past. Have you ever just wanted them to stop?" I sit next to him, our legs touching, my feet still in the water. He looks out to the people and I just look at him. 

"Are you sure they're not just looking at you? The one who's standing in the fountain?” I’m standing now, hands on my hips. The water doesn’t go past my knees, instead it sits placidly around mid-calf. My body now used to its temperature I find it quite soothing. 

"Ooh is the great demon lord afraid of water?" I playfully splash him, but he sits stock still.

"What, afraid you'll ruin your suit? Or are you secretly a cat demon in disguise?" I stick out my tongue playfully, skittering towards the center of the fountain where it drops off slightly. 

To my surprise, he unfolds himself from his sitting position on the edge of the fountain. Slowly, he takes off his shoes and rolls up his pant legs carefully. Just as carefully he climbs into the fountain, bending over, hands cupped he throws a fist full of water at me. 

I’m utterly shocked at his playful behavior and just stand there staring at him. 

"Who's the cat demon now?" Shaking myself out of my shock I splash him back quickly, smirking. 

"Still you!" Squealing I try to somehow take cover, as I'm bombarded with waves. Wading through the fountain I duck behind the enormous mermaid statue located in the middle. 

"Ah! Ah! I give! I give!" I giggle, he's smirking. I step out of the fountain and find my shoes, admitting defeat. 

"I'm soaked!" I grab the champagne and take a long swig, the liquid courage burns my throat. He follows me out of the fountain albeit not as soaked as I am. 

"Perhaps we should return to the hotel?" He suggests, holding out his arm. I take it.

"So in the years between then and now, were you social at all?" I ask very seriously, the alcohol making my lips loose, it’s getting hard to keep my thoughts straight. 

"Yes and no.”

"Did people ever ask about your appearance?”

"What do you mean?”

"I mean the marks on your face.”

"Here no. Elsewhere, yes. I cover them normally, but I became tired of it. Here they think it's nothing more than tattoos, that it gives me an exotic look.” We stroll casually along the street as people brush past us trying to get to their unknown destination. 

"They still look at you funny.”

"What are you talking about? They're looking at you, I blend in just fine." Says the thousand year old demon in a suit.

I wonder what we'll look like together in Maine. Strolling down my suburban block walking Moichi. I laugh, I can't picture it at all. When we get into my room I head straight for the balcony. I want to see the sun wake up.

"Look at how beautiful it all is!" He approaches slowly, leaning on the railing next to me.

"It's nothing more than a city of lights and sounds.”

"But look at the sun over the dessert. Think about the history here.” I yawn before taking another swallow of champagne.

"Is it disgusting that I don't want to be a part of my best friend’s wedding?" He looks at me. I'm looking at the sky. The stars are different here, a little sleeping piece of me wishes I could see the stars of the past one more time. They were so very different than the ones now. 

"It's all so fickle and tedious and I don't want to be a part of it anymore." I step back into the room and rip the covers off the bed.

"I'm just so exhausted of having to take care of her. I want to be taken care of." I curl up and feel his hands brush my hair back. I roll over so we're face to face and bury my face in his chest.

"All I want to do is sleep." And that's what I do.

____________________________________________

End Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

Part One: Vegas 

Chapter Six:

It's Mel's bachelorette party tonight. I don't want to go, instead I want to do nothing but lie in bed with Sesshoumaru.

"Kagome! Ka-go-me! Are you awake yet?! Jesus it's almost noon! Come on sleepy head! Alright I'm coming in!" She pounds obnoxiously on our adjoining door, throwing it open when I don't answer. Rookie mistake leaving the door unlocked. I have only myself to blame. 

"I'm asleep. What do you want?" I lift my head from the pillow slowly and feel Sesshoumaru tighten his grip around me.

"Ooh. I didn't know he slept over. Sorry about that Kags." She winks and closes the door. Oh god I'm never living this down.

I bury my face in the pillow, breathing in and out calmly.

"I want to go home.”

_________________________________________

I get ready and leave Sesshoumaru so he can go home and pack. Mel drags me everywhere you can imagine along with the rest of the bridesmaids.

"I'm getting married tomorrow can you believe it? Me! Tomorrow!” She'd squeal every once in a while, and everyone would laugh and smile, all I want to do is go home.

We ordered drinks at noon. As we laughed and walked, as we got our nails done, as we were at the spa, as Mel bragged all day, I just wanted to go home.

"Come on Kags! We need to get ready for tonight!" oh dear. Tonight.  
"What are we going to do tonight?" I hesitate when I ask this. She looks at me and smirks.

"Anything and everything we can!”

_________________________________________

Mel throws me in one of her club dresses and pins my hair back. 

The dress she has chosen for me is so constricting I feel like I’m going to suffocate. Sitting patiently she tugs and pulls at my hair trying to pin it in some sort of elaborate hair style. Once she deems me acceptable she lets out an approving sound. 

"See, look how beautiful you are now!" She exclaims. All I see is myself staring out of a mask. I smile, as everyone arrives. I'm paraded out the door wearing a stupid sash as we head to the stupid club, with the stupid people I don’t want to be with.

"Oh Kags! Did you see the way he looked at us?!" Mel squeals as I remain the outsider.

I see him, he's looking at us like an animal hunting its prey. The lion approaches.

"Hey there, my name's Jamal." It's just Mel and I, the other girls have gone ahead to frolic and take pictures of themselves in their club attire. 

"My name's Melanie, this is Kagome." She's smiling. Men are a game to her. She wants to see each one fall before her, so she can collect them and turn them down, one by one.

"So where are you lovely ladies headed?" He looks at me, I look away. His gaze makes me sick and I don’t want to be here anymore. 

Out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of silver, my heart races, and it is who I think it is. A few blocks ahead of us, Sesshoumaru waits to cross the street, his eyes lock onto mine and I feel safe. 

"The club." Mel takes the liberty to answer for the both of us. I keep looking at him, refusing to give up his gaze. 

"Both of you?" Mel nods, smiling a coy little grin. 

"Well then, I was wondering. Would you like to parade that beautiful ass around with me and my friends?" He winks. Mel takes a breath before she answers.

"Well, I would but…“

"I'm sorry, I was talking to her." He gestures towards me. I look at him and meet his eyes, my confidence back now that I know my protector is within ear shot if I need him. 

"I have a boyfriend.” Deadpan, I grab hold of Mel's arm and take her away. She's too busy gaping and gasping, looking to me in utter disbelief. 

"Oh my god! He shut me down?" She's having a fit, I calm her down, as always.

"Mel, come on let's go. It's alright. This is your night." As always.

_________________________________________

I'm at the bar. I'm always at the bar. Mel is dancing on tables. All I do is watch.

I don't want to join in. I know where this will end up, and it's not a smooth path.

Sesshoumaru followed us at a distance for quite a while. He came all the way out to the strip club before pulling aside one of the strippers and disappearing. 

Now I don’t see him anywhere, but that’s fine. I don’t mind sitting quietly, disappearing into the furniture. I’ve actually become rather good at it. 

Strippers bombard her like she's the most beautiful thing ever. She’s in her element. Everyone watches her, everyone but me, because I’m too busy looking for a way out. 

"Is she your friend?" Someone sits next to me. I look him over, not really interested in what he looks like. But I do it anyways just in case I’m abducted, and need to give a physical description of the one who did it. 

He’s tall and very well built, his eyes soft and sad, dark circles covered up by a small amount of foundation that seems to have worn off. I glance to see what he’s wearing and my suspicion is correct, he is in fact a stripper, the fake cop outfit a dead giveaway.

I wonder if Sesshoumaru has a fake cop outfit…

"Sadly yes." I catch a glimpse of her being funnelled champagne.

Mmm... attractive.

"Bachelorette party?”

"How did you know?”

"The sash gave it away, but only slightly." I forgot about the sash.

"So do you guys get these a lot? Wild brides letting loose before their wedding day?”

"Only every day.” He smiles, sipping his drink. 

"Don't you get sick of this city?" I look at him.

"Every day since the day I was born here." He pauses. "Aren't you Ichiro's friend?" I nod.

"Are you two old friends?" I nod again.

“Why?" I ask.

"He quit after you came here for the first time, we were wondering why he did. Now it makes sense.”

"Pardon?" I knew he quit, but I thought he quit only a few days ago. Not after I first showed up.

"Yeah, he was one of the head strippers, so he was making the most money. He must really like you." So I have melted his ice cold heart after all.

_________________________________________

I drag Mel off the table at 5a.m. I'm worried she won't make it through the wedding. I sure hope she’s sober by then. The other girls left hours ago. I throw Mel into a cab, say goodbye to Keith, the stripper I befriended, wish him good luck at becoming head stripper, and then climb in myself. Mel babbles as I tuck her into bed, then crawl into my own. I want to put a never disturb sign on my door.

Sesshoumaru is waiting for me when I wake up only a few hours later.

"Did Ted let you in?" He nods.

"I met your friend by the way. He was nice. He wants to take over your spot as head stripper." I hear him let out a muffled laugh as I step into the shower.

My eyes hurt, my feet hurt…everything hurts. I slip into my jeans and sneak out of the bathroom.

I want to see Sesshoumaru in his unnatural habitat. I guess you could call it natural, he fits in better than I do.

He's lying on my bed with his hands folded on his stomach and his ankles crossed. So calculated.

He's wearing a crisp white shirt with clean black suit pants. He even has on nice socks. I want to know what type of shoes he's wearing.

"If you're quite finished gawking, I would like for you to come here.” I sulk over, I wanted to see his shoes. I crawl into the bed and curl up.

"I wanted to see your shoes." I tell him.

"Not important. What is this thing we're attending?" He looks at me and I feel like I should laugh.

"You don't know what a wedding is?" 

“Of course I do, I am merely asking what we are attending and what we will be doing.” He says this in a quipped monotonous fashion. 

“I’m one of Mel’s bridesmaids so I will be standing next to her, lucky for you you’re just a guest so you get to sit while I stand” He nods quietly. 

“I’ll come for you after the ceremony I promise. 

_________________________________________

Five hours before anything begins, Mel comes barging through to my room screaming.

"Kagome! Kagome!" We're watching T.V. on the bed quietly.

"Sometimes I hate the way she says my name." I whisper as the door flies open.

"Oh my god! We need to get ready!" She screams. All I do is look at her.

"But Ichiro and I…“

"Teddy can occupy him, you're coming with me." Oh dear god, where are my exits. I need a neon flashing sign accompanied by a stewardess showing me the way out. I need someone, I need something, and basically I need anything that can get me out of this.

But, as always, I am hurdled into the abyss of girl land, with no safety gear.

I leave a confused Sesshoumaru with a scared Ted. I don't know who has it worse.

I on the other hand, have a far worse problem. Mel is bridezilla, and she's on a monster ridden rampage. She screams at anyone who gets in her way as I sit patiently while having everything done for me. I hate it when she gets like this, which seems to be everyday lately.

"Kagome, I'm so stressed and nervous." She finally acknowledges me.

"Awe, don't be." I lie, touching her hand comfortingly. 

_________________________________________

With no exits found, I stroll down the aisle along with all of the other bridesmaids. I wait near the alter, looking out into the crowd to find a lone demon. He's looking at no one but me. I zone throughout the ceremony, not quite caring to listen to any of it. It's only when someone grabs my elbow that I come to.

"Come on Kagome, it’s over." Camilla says through a smile. We file out.

Sesshoumaru leaves and finds me.

"What do we do now?" He whispers as I head up to my room to change into something a little less peachy and a little more cocktail friendly.

All the other girls are helping Mel out of her ball gown and into her cocktail dress. I explain all of this to Sesshoumaru while changing. He stands outside the bathroom door and listens.

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's enter hell.”

_________________________________________

End of chapter six


	7. Chapter 7

Part One: Vegas

Chapter Seven: 

We enter the decorated ballroom and I feel the walls closing in as my exits disintegrate.

I feel Sesshoumaru's hand close around mine as he steers me to our seats. This is when auto pilot turns on.

I speak when spoken to, laugh when queued, nod when appropriate, and smile always. Sesshoumaru stays his composed stoic self as always. People I'm supposed to know call out my name from hundreds of different directions.

"Oh Kagome I haven't seen you in so long!”

"Look how beautiful you are!”

"You clean up so well! Who's your friend?”

The questions are all the same. Sesshoumaru answers almost all of them as I stand beside him smiling. Girls I haven’t seen since college ask me how my job hunt is going while giving me back handed compliments about finding a job with my degree. Boys who I once helped get out of the residence building after Mel snuck them in look enviously at Sesshoumaru by my side. 

There are so many people here it feels like I am drowning. 

Crossing the ocean is difficult when there are so many obstacles. Dinner is about to start, and promises that won't be fulfilled of meeting up later are tossed out into dead air. Sesshoumaru looks at me blankly and raises an eyebrow.

"Speeches." I whisper, he does nothing but nod before returning to his blank expression.

I wish I could do the same, but my no longer sincere speech is up next. I am called upon. I stand, clear my throat, and suddenly feel naked. I feel like I'm completely butt ass naked standing on stage and I'm supposed to be singing opera, but I never learned the music and I was never classically trained so I start to dance but I never learned the dance. So I just stand, and take a deep breath.

"I've known Mel for almost six years now, we were roommates, back in college. I had just gotten off a plane from a long flight, she had just hopped off a bus from Pittsburgh. She offered me a slice of her mom’s homemade banana bread. We became such fast friends, sharing almost everything." I pause and take another breath. I can see Mel crying a few tables over, my hands shake as I hold the piece of paper with my short speech written on it. 

"Of course when I say almost everything I mean next to nothing. We are polar opposites of one another in the best of ways. We had no classes together, we majored in completely different things, yet here I am today, six years and many exams later. Standing as the maid of honor, at my best friend’s wedding. Through all the ups and downs that school had to offer we made it, which just goes to show the resiliency of this gorgeous girl. I love you Mel and I will always be here. Good luck, and good life to you Melanie and Ted Brooks." I smile, holding my glass up. Mel holds hers up in a shaky hand as she blots away the tears.

More speeches ensue and dinner is eaten as we converse mechanically with our fellow table guests, a senior couple who are hard of hearing, and a young couple who are convinced Sesshoumaru and I are married.

"So how long have you two been together?" The young woman who is actually older then I am asks.

"Well, we were uh…we were friends in Japan where we both lived. I moved here and we lost touch, then reconnected somehow and we've been together ever since." I say smiling. A lie within the truth, that’s all it is.

I take a deep breath and Mel approaches.

"Come on Kags! Get ready, we're about to start the dance!" She disappears again amongst the tables. Sesshoumaru raises an eyebrow.

"It's lame and doesn't deserve an answer.” I reply as the music starts and Mel sashays onto the dance floor.

Sesshoumaru watches intently as Mel and Ted sway in small circles, all the drunk guests moving onto the dance floor once their song is done. 

"Would you like to dance?" He stands above me, holding out his hand.

It takes me a moment to register what he just asked me. 

"You aren't going to bust out your stripper skills? Right?" I whisper taking his hand.

"I promise to stay fully clothed at all times through this night." He laughs pulling me out.

"Well that won't be any fun for me." Now I've always been a clumsy person, especially with dancing, and especially right now it seems. I look at my feet more then I look at him as he's leading me round and round.

His slender fingers rest gracefully on my hips as I shove the top of my head into his chest so I still have the ability to see my feet.

"Try looking up." He tilts my chin with his finger.

"I don't want to step on your shoes." The funny thing is I'm being very serious. He has on these brilliant black shoes that give this edge to his outfit. Really, they're nothing more than a classic black men’s dress shoe with slightly pointed toes and a piece of silver strapping around the front. 

"I don't care about the shoes." He answers and I look up and into the eyes I've melted so nicely.

"I'm a really bad dancer." I fight the urge to look back down.

"You aren't as bad as you originally led me to believe." I see the corner of his mouth twitch as he suppresses a smile.

"I saw that." I half smile myself.

"No you didn’t."

________________________________________________

As the night rages on, the guests become more and more unruly and intoxicated. Mel and Ted included.

We sit together, idle, on the edge of the action. Sesshoumaru watches the wedding games meticulously, as if he intends on writing a very detailed rule book for each and every one of them.

"Why don't we ditch this place? Go back to your place? No one will notice if we bail early. Everyone's already too hammered to know better.”

He agrees and I grab the center piece. He raises an eyebrow.

"Shh, I'm supposed to take this. Besides, your place needs some color.”

"It's no longer my house.” We’re snaking through the lobby as quickly as possible. The warm desert air hits my face, the nights are so much more bearable than the days. No wonder this city is nocturnal. 

"You sold it already?" He nods.

"Yes. I sold it with all of my belongings included and bought my plane ticket.”

"Wow that was quick. You sold everything? Even your clothes?" Part of me hopes he kept at least some of his stripper outfits. Nothing like freaking the neighbors out on a Sunday morning.

"I kept the clothes." Bingo.

"So you're totally ready to move in? That was easy, who did you sell the house to?" We arrive at his house. He opens the door and I stroll into the kitchen, placing the awful flowers on his counter before saying hello to Moichi.

"Keith. The new head stripper.”

"Ooh passing on your legacy and castle to a young apprentice." I laugh and grab a slip of paper from a drawer.

"Where's a pen? We should write young Keith a message of welcome." He passes me one and I tap my chin for a moment.

Dear Keith. 

Welcome! Good luck in your future stripping endeavors, wishing you the best in finding your way out. 

Kagome and Ichiro.

________________________________________________

"Your phone is ringing." Sesshoumaru informs me.

"I know. Let it ring, I don't want to answer." It's Mel. She's calling to tell me she's off to Tahiti or Hawaii or Cancun or whatever, and to wish her luck and have a great trip home.

"It's not important. I'm going back to sleep." I tell him through a yawn before curling up and falling asleep. 

She left a message, I was right almost word for word.

"Are you ready?" He asks as I throw all of my things into my suitcase.

"Mhm, let's go." We load up the taxi with our combined belongings, which include at least seventy five complete outfits, thirty three pairs of shoes and one small dog. When we leave, we wave goodbye to the silly paper town.

________________________________________________

End of Chapter Seven.

End of Part One.


	8. Maine

Part Two: Maine

Chapter Eight: 

I sleep for the entire flight which, in actuality wasn’t actually that long, but after losing sleep to days of drinking and counselling Mel I think I deserved the few hours of shut eye I managed to squeeze in. 

For the brief moments of REM sleep I managed to get, I was lost in a dream land that only my brain would manage to come up with. 

There was alarm clocks and fire drills, Black holes and strippers, champagne and a very intoxicated priestess on the arm of a great war lord. The many objects and people danced across the backs of my eyelids as the show played out. 

It must have been amusing to watch, I know I talk in my sleep, it was only a matter of time before Sesshoumaru found out. 

At the end of the flight he woke me cautiously, as one would wake a sleeping bear from hibernation. 

“We’ve landed.” Is all he said as I peeled my drooling, sleep stuck face from his clean pressed shirt. Wiping away what I can, I can almost feel his eyes roll. 

“Hey, you were the one who let me rest against your arm, you must have seen this coming.” He sighs and stands, shaking his head ever so slightly.

We make our way through the throngs of people exiting the airport, bags in tow and wait for Sesshoumaru’s clothes. That’s all there is in our checked bags. Literally it is five large suitcases, filled and overweight with clothing. 

Who knew the great Lord of the West was a pack rat. 

________________________________________________

I can feel the neighbours eyes boring into us as the cab pulls down the street. We pull into my driveway of the modest townhouse that I call home. 

“Your house is very… quaint.” He had to dig for that compliment and I could tell. My house was small was the word he was looking for, and it was. I had barely any front or backyard and that is just the way that I liked it, zero maintenance. 

He unloaded all the cases from the car, paid the driver and hauled them into the house. 

We let Moichi out to sniff and familiarize himself with his new and unknown surroundings. 

Sesshoumaru lugged all of his bags upstairs and I could almost hear his disappointment at the size of my closet. After finishing my inspection of all of my housely duties upon returning from vacation, I join in his staring at my jam packed closet. 

“I told you. There’s no room.” He stands, quietly contemplating next to me. If I listen close enough I can hear the gears clicking in his unseen mind. Bored expression dancing across his features he stares blankly. 

“We will have to get rid of some of your clothes.” That is the conclusion that he has come up with. As a matter of fact he is quite confident with this conclusion. 

“Uhm no… This is my house and this is my closet so like I told you when you decided to move in with me I think you need to get rid of some of your clothes Mr. Pack rat.” I cross my arms over my chest to show I mean business. He simply turns to me, gold eyes gleaming and reaches into the closet, pulling down a shirt and tossing it on the floor. 

“It’s a white t shirt, you have four you may get rid of this one.” My mouth falls agape. How dare he! This is my house and my closet!

“You are nothing but a child.” A coy little smirk plays across those beautiful lips of his and my heart melts a little inside.

Stay strong Kagome, this is your closet on the line.

He continues to go through my clothes, tossing them this way and that into different piles unknown to me. 

“We will store these in the second bedroom” He informs me, dragging a pile the size of a love seat into my empty spare room. 

It’s funny how all of my clothes seemed to end up in the empty room while his all managed to fit perfectly into my closet. 

________________________________________________

After relocating some of my clothes to my closet and Sesshoumaru’s unneeded excess to the spare bedroom turned storage facility, we finally settle into a new routine.

“You should get another job” I say passively over dinner one night. We sit placidly on the couch next to one another as Moichi begs at my feet. After all he knows that I have a bigger heart then Sesshoumaru and always give him my leftovers. 

“I have a job.” 

“Cooking for me doesn’t count as a job and no you cannot be a stripper here.” He lets out a small laugh and I clear our plates, pushing the rest of my chicken into Moichi’s bowl. 

“What about teaching something? Do you have any teachable skills?” His blank look loses any form of thought it once had. Throwing the dishes into the sink I blast the hot water, turning while tapping my chin to think. 

“Okay then no teachable skills. What did you do before you were a stripper?” He sidles up beside me, dish cloth at the ready, prepared to dry. 

“I was North.” His answer is cool and dry as if that was the only conclusion anyone could ever come to for a demon to do. 

“What did you do North though, and how far North? Alaska? Or are we talking like North Pole Nunavut?” I can feel his eyebrow raise. 

“I was with another demon, we lived in the snow together and hunted.” 

“So you’re not afraid of physical labour! What about a construction worker! You could get into a trade?” He shoots me a sidelong glance as if labour were beneath him. Which in actuality was not entirely untrue, yes he was in my time now, but he had made it this far without me so I assume he can fend for himself in the modern era. 

“Let’s make a deal, you cook and clean and I’ll bring home the bacon.” I give him the cheeriest smile I can muster while scrubbing away the grime of all the dishes and he accepts my offer. 

“As long as you do the dishes.”

________________________________________________

I’m back at work full time and spend long hours at the museum. 

Sesshoumaru holds up his end of the bargain and cooks elaborate meals for us every single night. I hold up my end of the deal and do all of his dishes, every, single, night. 

“I feel like I got the short end of the stick here.” I mention off handedly on a night that he chose to cook something especially sticky. Scrubbing away I can feel my hands become soggy and wrinkled. Food debris floats in our kitchen sink and I have to use all my concentration not to gag. 

“What did you do today? Other then make a mess of course…” I’m asking him to take my mind off the disgusting after math of seafood pasta. 

“I had an adequate day.” 

“Yes but what did you do?” 

“I took Moichi for a walk.” He deadpans, taking the wet dishes from my hands and drying them before carefully putting them away. 

“Did the neighbours see you?” 

“Yes.” 

“Did someone come up to you?” Talking to him sometimes is like talking to an elementary school child who had a bad day at school and doesn’t want to talk about it. So much prying and digging goodness. He’s lucky I do this for a living every day or our house would be unnaturally quiet all the time. 

Our house…

The word our seemed to catapult to the front of my mind. I have never had something with someone else. My student apartment with Mel never counted as something I owned with another person. It was simply a place where we both resided, but this, it was ours. 

“Yes, she invited us to a barbecue.” This rouses me from my thoughts on the word our quite quickly. 

“Pardon?” 

“We are invited to a gathering.” He seems perturbed as if listening to him should be my number one priority. 

“Wow, I’ve never been invited to a barbecue before and I’ve lived here for two years. They must really want to get to know you.” 

“Who doesn’t, I am quite interesting.” Rolling my eyes I can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic or not. 

“Well, do you want to go? Who invited you anyways?” 

“I would like to go yes. She introduced herself as Bethany.” I feel my shoulders sink, anyone but her. 

My encounters with Bethany have never exactly been the greatest. The first day I moved here Mel decided it would be an excellent idea to throw me a house warming party and invite all of her intoxicated friends. 

It ended with her throwing up in Bethany’s rose bush while I held her hair. 

And to make matters worse I had to replace that bush as it had subsequently died, I put that thing in myself. 

My second and only other encounter with Bethany involved me running over her garbage can that had blown into my driveway. Of course I didn’t mean to do either of these things and replaced both things that I broke, but needless to say she didn’t like me very much and because of that, neither did the rest of the neighbourhood. 

“Ugh you really want to go?” His eyes widen in almost shock before he reigns himself in again. 

“Of course, you do not?” It’s as if he’s never had gossipy neighbours that didn’t like him before. But of course who wouldn’t like Sesshoumaru? 

My mind draws a blank before it comes to a conclusion with a loud thud. Everyone likes Sesshoumaru because they’re too scared not to like him, and those who don’t like him have either been obliterated or they’re keeping their mouths shut. 

Maybe I need to become more intimidating, then more people will like me. Who am I kidding I’m as intimidating as a baby penguin, all fluffy and round. 

I guess we should go. Maybe if Sesshoumaru makes friends he can go out during the day instead of staying inside and cooking elaborate meals with lots of dishes for me to clean. 

“Okay fine we’ll go. But we have to bring something as a peace offering to Bethany or else I don’t think she will let me set foot on her lawn. That or she will make me sign a form that says I have to pay for anything I damage.” His eyebrow raises and I pinch the bridge of my nose. 

“We’re not on the best terms her and I but maybe this will make up for it. What would you like to bring?” 

“Can we bake?” A demon, a five hundred year old demon wants to bake. For some reason this shocks me. I haven’t really been shocked by him yet, not the stripping, not the dog, oh no none of that. This is what shocks me. 

“You want to bake?” Slowly, he nods his head. Taking my soapy hands from the water as I watch it drain, I dry them and press them against my temples, rubbing slow circles. This does nothing to ease my stress but somehow makes me feel a little better. 

“Alright what would you like to bake?” 

“I will research then I will tell you my decision tomorrow.” 

________________________________________________

End of Chapter Eight


	9. Chapter 9

Part Two: Maine

Chapter Nine: 

The next morning I awake to a clawed hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently and wordlessly. 

“Five more minutes, please?” I whine grabbing his hand and cradling it between my own, hugging it tightly. 

“No. It’s late enough we need to go to the grocery store.” Groaning I pull his hand in closer. 

“Mmmmm what time is it?” I don’t dare open my eyes, I know the glare he’s giving me because I am invading his personal space. 

“Ten thirty.” He answers, boredom laced in the words but I hear something else. Frustration. 

“It’s the weekend though! Can I not sleep in?” Rolling onto my back I finally let go of his hand that he retracts quickly back into its spot by his side. 

“No sleeping in. We must get things done.” He answers me sternly and I groan even louder than before in protest.

“Noooooooo…” My whining is cut short when strong arms slide beneath me, peeling me from the mattress and carrying me to our closet. He places me on my own two feet looking into the open doors. 

“There, now most of the work is done for you, now choose clothing and let’s go.” He glides out of the door with a swish of silver hair. I watch him as he disappears downstairs. I wish for the warmth of his arms once more. 

The once vaguely intimate moments we shared together in Vegas now seemed to be far in the past. Ever since we got to Maine we have been nothing but roommates, apart from our banter and small frustrating arguments we have said nothing of importance to each other. 

We have not divulged any close guarded secrets, no dreams, no hopes, nothing of the personal matter. 

I want nothing more than the warmth of his touch against my skin once more. My heart wants to know why he is here and what he plans to do. Am I nothing more than a stepping stone to the next place he plans on going? Am I a filler in the endless cycle of his life? 

Nothing more than a nearby familiar moon, passing just close enough to get sucked into his orbit for a little bit longer. In time will I be thrown away when someone, or something pulls me back away from him? 

Is Sesshoumaru using me? Why would he ever need to use a washed up priestess like me? Priestess is used lightly of course considering I never received any formal training other than from Kaede for the priestessy things and Jinenji for the healing herbs. 

Sinking to the floor I sit cross legged in front of the open doors of the black hole that is our closet. There is no semblance of order within its small confines. We do not have a side each, or a section for each type of garment we own. Oh no, everything is shoved inside where we found space. 

I don’t know what to wear today, I don’t even want to think about it actually. I want to lie in bed today and not think about anything. I don’t want to have to deal with Melanie’s voice mails, I don’t want to call Souta back, I don’t even want to have to think about the demon living in my bed with me. 

A pang runs through my heart and I wish for it to go away. I am nothing more than a brief blink in his life to fill a void that I will never understand. 

“Are you sleeping while sitting?” His voice rouses me as I bite my thumb. Standing in the doorway, arms crossed he looks at me. His eyes are soft, gentle, as if he will scare me away if he looks too hard. I look up at him. 

“No. I’m thinking.” He nods in understanding, but I know he doesn't understand why I’m sitting on the floor thinking when I should be getting dressed so we can go run errands. 

“What am I?” Suddenly the words escape the confines of my lips before I can reel them back in. The word-vomit hangs in the air for a moment, begging me to clean it up when suddenly he answers my unwanted question. 

“You are a human girl who is sitting on the floor thinking.” He answers this as if it is obvious to anyone observing but he doesn't quite seem to grasp at the question. 

“No, what am I to you?” I catch onto his eyes and refuse to let them go. He seems to hesitate at the door, stock still not daring to move. He’s thinking, I can see it behind his eyes, the unknown thoughts and answers dancing around. He’s trying to pick the best thing to say to me. 

“You are a familiar face in a crowd of strangers.” 

“That’s it? A familiar face?” He looks at me as if I’d grown a second head. He seemed to have thought that an answer like that would be adequate. 

“Think about what you just said to me.” I give him a moment to mull this over. His face stays the same, stoic expression plastered over his features. 

“You don’t see how that can hurt my feelings do you?” His face is blank. My blood boils, my heart pounds, my legs are on fire and so is my face. I want to punch him, I want to kick him in the shin and yell at him. I want to tell him to get the fuck out of my house and to never come back. I never want to see his stupid pretty face again. 

But I do none of this, instead my heart sinks and I let my head fall into my hands. I haven’t felt this frustrated in so long. I haven’t felt my blood boil and my face flare in anger. My temper has been dormant for too long and I think I need to let it out more because keeping it bottled just makes it worse. 

My anger has fallen, and nothing but hurt remains. I can feel the hot tears stream down my face, but I don’t dare let him see. I keep my face buried in my hands, gripping my hair as tight as I can, willing myself to stop crying. 

Stop it, stop it, stop it you silly girl. Stop that. 

Soft, gentle fingers touch my back and I recoil at their proximity. Refusing to look up I melt further into the floor.

“Go away…” I tell my hands, muffling my voice and allowing myself to swallow it back up. 

“No.” His voice is stern and hard compared to my own. His hands, peeling my face away from my own, forcing me to look at him when I don’t want him to see me like this. So weak, a mere ghost of my former self. 

“Leave me alone to be sad.” I pull away but his fingers find my chin, gripping it tightly, pulling it towards him. 

“No.” Even more stern then before I finally look into his eyes. 

I see something, something small, buried. I can see it melted in the confines of his eyes. Caring, want, desire. I see emotions other than basic needs. His eyes melt and bubble to the surface. His mouth moves as if he’s going to speak, but he stops himself. 

I don’t want him to stop, I want him to talk to me, to say something. Divulge something, please, don’t let me be the only raw nerve in this house. 

“No, tell me.” It’s my turn to be stern with him. 

“I feel…” He’s choosing his words carefully now, weighing them out before he throws them into the room. “I feel comfortable with you. I know you, and you know me, like no other person does in this world.” 

My eyes well up but not with frustration or anger this time, with sadness. He is so lonely, but so am I. Hand reaching up of its own accord I touch his cheek lightly, tracing a finger over the marks across his face, letting them settle cupped around his ear. 

We don’t go to the grocery store that day, instead we lie on the floor, seeking quiet solace with one another. 

______________________________________

When we finally make it to the grocery store a few days later, Sesshoumaru has prepared a detailed list with exact quantities of each ingredient we need. 

He still hasn’t told me what we’re baking, or even if I’m allowed in the kitchen when he’s baking. 

“You have to make enough for at least thirty people, you know that right?” I’m in charge of the list and the cart. I am the leader of this expedition and he has to do all my bidding.

“Wait, this says blow torch. Why do you need a blow torch?!” I look at him frantically. He just stares back. 

“No, no you need to come up with a new dessert, there is no way I’m buying you a blow torch. No way!” I stomp my foot in finality, he simply turns his nose up ever so slightly. 

“Fine, no crème Brûlée. How about a torte instead?” Part of me is taken aback from him asking me my opinion, the other part is excited. Maybe I should buy him the blow torch. 

“Does the torte involve any use of open flame?” His head shakes slightly. I gesture for him to go ahead and he takes the list from my hands, pulling a hidden pen from my purse and adding ingredients as well as crossing out blow torch. 

We peruse through the rest of our shopping as I read him whatever is on the list, and he throws it into the cart.

“The last things we need are sugar and cocoa.” I take a quick glance to make sure we’ve picked everything up and see two cans of whipped cream buried under a mountain of pecans and brown sugar. 

"Hey did you put the whipped cream in here?" He gives me a sidelong glance and I do nothing but shake my head. 

“Who knew you were such a sugar hound?” We finish up and head home. 

He lines up all of the ingredients, as I put all the excess things he threw into the cart away in my tiny kitchen. 

“Umm, when did you throw these into the cart?” The secret gummy worms sit in my out stretched hand. He stares at me and I almost think I see embarrassment cross his gracile features. 

The great and powerful dog demon has a sweet tooth. You learn something new every day…

______________________________________

"The recipe says to gradually add the sugar.” 

"Whatever the recipe is only a guideline who actually reads those." He looks at me and brushes me aside gently, taking over my bowl duties. 

"It doesn't actually matter if I gradually add the sugar or if I dump it in all at once." I huff under my breath. I see his mouth twitch in distaste, as if my mentioning this was so sacrilege. 

He finishes our multi layered torte with coffee buttercream frosting, and hand piped chocolate flowers courtesy of the demon lord himself. 

"I hope it tastes ok” I mumble scooping a fingertip full of left over buttercream from the bowl and popping it into my mouth. A completely primal sound escapes past my lips as I grab a spoon to eat the rest. 

“You’re going to make me fat, this is utterly delightful.” He looks at me with slight pride etched onto his immobile features. 

That night, we lie in bed together, the cake tucked away in a safe spot for its debut tomorrow. All in all we spent a lovely day together doing mundane things like run errands and bake. I sit on my side of the bed reading some gross tabloid magazine while he sits on his, thumbing through an old archeology textbook he found in the back of my closet. 

"We're so boring." I say to him, looking at his features in the dim light. The lamps light dances off of his slender nose, playing with the shadows of his face and softening all of the angles. 

"What do you mean?" He puts the book down and looks at me as I wiggle over and place my head against his chest, listening to the strong rhythmic thud of his heart.

"I mean we're boring. All we do is boring things." 

"What is exciting to you?”

"I don't know. That's the problem." 

______________________________________

End of Chapter Nine


	10. Chapter 10

Part Two: Maine

Chapter Ten: 

On the day of the barbecue I awake in a lonely bed. The sweet smell of breakfast wafts my way and I can feel my stomach growling. I guess I’ll get out of bed for breakfast.

Shuffling down the stairs and into the kitchen, a heaping plate of waffles greets me, topped with a generous helping of whipped cream. 

I take my place and grab the awaiting can to add more. 

"Where's the other half of the can?" He looks away quietly, feeding Moichi. Who would have thought.

I can’t imagine Sesshoumaru standing in front of the fridge, door open, funnelling whipped cream into his mouth from the can. 

I lounge in my pyjamas while Sesshoumaru's been ready for hours. We sit on the couch, him reading, me watching T.V. 

"So you've never been to a party before?" He shakes his head. 

"Well, it's a lot like stripping. You get stared at a lot and people make dumb comments." 

"I promise I'll behave." 

_______________________________________

We seem to be the last ones to arrive. Everyone from the street is crammed into the postage stamp sized lawn. Men stand around with beers in hand while women bustle around, putting food onto tables, gathering cutlery and performing odd jobs. 

Sesshoumaru slips behind me, waiting for me to make the first move. I slither into the yard, torte in hand, looking for someone to give it to. 

I’m nervous, but not for myself, more so for Sesshoumaru. I can feel his presence behind me, demonic aura flowing slightly. He seems a little on edge, as if meeting new people scares him, but I am definitely the only person who knows how he is actually feeling. 

People start to notice we have arrived. A man whom I have never actually talked to before approaches us and takes Sesshoumaru’s masterfully baked cake. 

“Hey there neighbour, names Jim.” He shakes my hand as I introduce myself then turns to Sesshoumaru. 

“Ichiro” He reaches a clawed hand out and shakes the mans hand. 

“Come on over and help yourself to some refreshments. Do you want a beer?” He directs his gaze to Sesshoumaru, who to my surprise nods. Jim disappears within the crowd and I look to Sesshoumaru. 

“You’re going to have a beer?” His eye lock onto mine and he shrugs. 

“Isn’t that what one does at a party?” 

"Oh Kagome, how was your trip to Vegas?" The voice comes from behind me and startles me. I turn slowly to find my neighbour Maggie.

"It was great! Mel and Ted had a beautiful wedding ceremony." I smile and she gives me a hug. 

“Thanks again for making sure everything was okay while I was gone, I really appreciate it!” 

“Oh don’t you worry it was nothing honestly! By the way my name is Maggie” She reaches a hand out and Sesshoumaru takes it, nodding a little. I wonder how he feels about shaking hands? He must have gotten used to it when he left Japan all those years ago. Even touching all these people he must be a little weary of it. 

He still seems so unattainable to me, his white skin glows in the sunlight, dancing off his hair as the breeze blows it away from his face. Him and his stupidly pretty hair. He stares with a blank expression as him and Maggie talk lightly, mostly about me and I take the time to observe and collect myself. 

I feel on edge still even though no one has said anything about Sesshoumaru’s appearance yet. I have prepared some carefully constructed answers for every situation I could think of. 

Out of the corner of my eye I see our host in question hone in on us. I avoid eye contact as she waves, walking over to us quickly. 

"Well hello!" Bethany announces upon arrival. She gives Sesshoumaru a good look over before settling her eyes on me. 

“Kagome how are you!? I never did catch your name when I was over the other day.” Yet another out stretched hand for him to shake. 

"Ichiro." Sesshoumaru answers with a nod, taking her hand gently. 

"So, the two of you are living together now?" She tilts her head slightly, opening her eyes really wide and looks from me to him. Me to him. Then just at him. Her eyes travel up and down, taking him in. 

Of course she is. Everyone is, just not everyone is as blunt as she is. He does look very nice today actually in his suit pants and crisp clean white shirt. I can just see the hint of magenta peaking out of the sleeves from the corner of my eye.

"Yes." He answers for me. I smile when her eyes flick over in my general direction.

"Well that's fabulous!" Her lips move up and I think she's smiling. She excuses herself and assimilates into another clump of neighbours. 

"Town gossip. Don't tell her anything unless you want everyone to know." I whisper as someone else approaches us. 

“Also she doesn’t like me very much because Mel threw up in her rose bushes and they died and I had to replant them and it was a mess.”

"Hey there! My name's Bill." He shakes Sesshoumaru's hand gruffly as his other hand holds a beer. 

"Ichiro." 

"New to the neighbourhood?" Bill lets go of Sesshoumaru's hand and shoves it into his pocket. Sesshoumaru nods. 

"Well then! Why don't I introduce you to the guys?" He's already leading the way. 

We part ways for a long time as I chat with Maggie about this and that. After a while I start to look for him, I start to miss the shadow beside me. I try to find him, try to catch his gaze but I can only see Bethany making a bee line for Maggie and I, flock in toe. 

I can see the burning desire of her want to ask so many questions. She takes a deep breath and poses her first question. 

"So you're just living together?" I nod. She says this like it's against the law. I don’t know what to say. 

"Well, isn't that quaint. And he's so... unique looking." She flashes me a smile while looking in his direction. He's still standing awkwardly holding the beer he hasn't even taken a sip from. He covered up his markings as soon as we got off the plane, and hasn't shown them since. 

I am the only one that he uncovers them for. Every once and a while he will grace my presence with the crescent moon and stripes. I relish those moments because they seem so few and far between now. I feel like he’s hiding off pieces of himself and only letting me see them. 

"Yes, so... exotic looking." Terry agrees. I take another breath. He sees me looking at him. I plead for him to save me. 

"I guess he is." I answer absently, looking at Terry. Her and Bethany are making love to him with their eyes. 

"Oh well hello we were just talking about you! I see you've met my husband Bill." Bethany's smiling. She looks from his exposed arms to his neck to his eyes. 

"Yes, he's quite nice." I feel better with him by my side. I press my shoulder against him so I can feel the warmth of his body, just to make sure he's really there. 

"We should all get together sometime for a nice couples dinner party." Terry suggests, smiling her open mouthed smile and looking rather happy with herself.

"Yes that would be fabulous!" I smile and look for his support. My hand connects with his, I take a breath. Exit located. 

_______________________________________

The day after the barbecue is a Monday, which means I have to go to work. Consequently, this means that I need to get up before the sun, a problem that I want to take up with my boss. But alas I kind of like my job so I suck it up, get out of bed, pack my lunch and get to work.

Work is nothing but phone calls and meetings and more phone calls and more meetings and people who don't understand simple tasks. So when I get through the front door, after the sun has set, and I get a fluffy ball of fur leaping onto my feet and panting, I'm happy that someone is glad to see me. 

"Happy I'm home?" I lie on the couch and place my head on his knee. Sesshoumaru places his book on the side table before kissing my forehead. 

"Very. We have baked goods." He informs me moving my head and standing. 

"You baked?" He shakes his head. 

"Then why do we have delicious sugary confections in the house? Did you buy them?" I sit on the bar stool in the kitchen. Our counter top is loaded with cakes, cookies, pie, I think I even see a casserole hidden in there. He slides a large pile of cards across the table to me. 

"Our neighbours gave us all this?" He nods and plucks a card from the top of the pile. 

"To our new neighbour. Welcome to the subdivision! Come over anytime you need anything. Sincerely Bev and Jon." I hold back a laugh. A demon war lord shouldn't be receiving welcome cards. I never even received a welcome card and I moved in two years ago. 

We eat cake for dinner that night, while reading all of the cards and letters. I love the way he reads them, he even tries to sound excited when a sentence has an exclamation point at the end. 

_______________________________________

End of Chapter Ten


	11. Chapter 11

Part Two: Maine

Chapter Eleven:

On the night we had cake for dinner I made a collective decision. We need to do more exciting things. 

I want to get out of the house, I want to eat in restaurants and go to movies. My bones ache and I have figured out how to make them stop. 

My excitement over flows and I just can’t wait to tell someone.

Impatiently, I lie on the bed. Not our bed, not my bed, the bed. We use this bed for nothing but sleeping and reading. Rolling onto my stomach I prop my head onto my hands. 

Sesshoumaru is preening, I could hear him finish drawing a bath over an hour ago. I’ve already done everything I’ve needed to do and now I wait. Rather impatiently might I add. I kick my feet and tug at loose threads. 

He sure does take a long time… 

Just then I hear it, the pull of the plug, the drain of the water through the pipes. 

I wonder if he’ll put his clothes on before coming out… 

The dirty part of my mind hopes not. 

He emerges, towel around his waist as well as one in his hair. His skin glistening in the moonlight, demon marks still out for only me to see. Slowly Sesshoumaru pulls the towel from his hair and I gasp. 

It’s black. 

“Your hair!” I scream and his eyes meet mine. Leaping to my feet I close the space between us, grabbing at his long locks between my fingers and feeling it slide though them. 

“Are you not pleased?” He sits on the bed, continuing to towel dry his freshly dyed hair. 

“It’s so… different… That’s all…” I stare at him as he sits. My hand wants to trace the marks on his face, his forehead. I want to run my hands through his hair and pull the dye out to reveal the silver I know is underneath. 

“It’s easier to blend in like this.” His voice breathes finality and I leave it. 

I understand why he did it but it will still take some time to get used to it. With his hair black and his demonic marks covered he looks almost identical to Inuyasha, the only difference will forever be his eyes. 

The golden eyes I think I’ve melted. 

__________________________________________

He's the talk of our small town. I think he secretly loves all the attention. 

Of course Bethany informs us of this when we all gather for dinner. 

“You know it’s not very often that someone so… interesting comes to the neighbourhood.” She’s looking right at him and my heart races. Are his marks covered properly? What do I say if they aren’t? My mind races at a million miles an hour and I can’t seem to catch it. 

I could say they're a religious thing! But what religion makes you tattoo your face? 

I’m furiously brainstorming and almost miss Bill’s question before my mind pulls me back into reality. 

“So how are the dinosaurs Kagome?” It takes me a moment to register what he’s actually asking me. 

I work with thousand year old anthropological artifacts. Not dinosaurs.

“Actually, I’m helping the curators set up an exhibit on Japan right now. I’m their resident expert on the Sengoku Jidai or the warring states period.” Everyone looks at me with rather impressed faces. Even Sesshoumaru looks a little impressed, although he will never show it. But from the corner of my eye I can see his eyebrow twitch at the question he allows to hang between us. 

“That sounds a lot more interesting then dinosaurs” I can hear Terry’s shrill laugh as Sesshoumaru and I sit quietly, me rumbling through my thoughts while he does whatever he does when no one is engaging him. 

__________________________________________

We continue our adventures everywhere. In the grocery store, at the park near the house, to the movies, to the opera. I even got him to come with me to the ballet. 

By the time Mel phones me when they arrive back home, we're tired of this boring little town. 

I’m feeling a little restless and I don’t know if I want to let this feeling brew and bubble or not. 

"Hey Kags! It's Mel. Cancun was fabulous! We're so tan. How's Maine? We miss you already! We should get together soon. This Saturday? Call me back kay?" I listen to her message one morning while sipping coffee at the table. 

Sesshoumaru reads the paper silently. 

"Saturday? What are we doing this Saturday?" I am the first to break the silence. 

"You're going to the professor party at the museum." 

"Right! I completely forgot! And not just me, we." He folds the corner of the newspaper and I can see the corner of his mouth twitch in a minuscule smile. 

"You humans, always so forgetful." He shoots me a look. 

“Hey now, not nice! I dragged your butt out of your old boring life and brought you into this boring life.” He stands, opening the waffle maker and placing the most beautiful waffle I have ever seen on my plate.

"Well then thank you for that. I am eternally grateful. What would you like on your waffle?" I stand and face him, the counter the only thing between us. 

"Strawberries. I don't appreciate your sarcasm by the way." I stick my tongue out, taking my plate from the counter. 

"Well then I guess I'll have to cook for someone else." He raises an eyebrow and smirks. I roll my eyes.

__________________________________________

"Don't forget Professor Langdon is my boss. Don't forget that name. Langdon." I look at him through the mirror while struggling with my hair. Tonight is the night that I present all my hard work to the professors. 

"What does he look like?" He glides behind me and effortlessly tames my horrendous mane. He’s done this before, he’s taken care of someones hair before. 

I look at him through the mirror and let my mind wander, trying to calm myself down. I think of Sesshoumaru, taming Rin’s hair for her before she goes to a festival. I think of him brushing out his moms hair or even his own. His kind and gentle fingers brushing effortlessly through the long straight strands. 

He brushes each strand tenderly and I’m brought back to the hotel bathroom in Vegas. The moment we share only lasts a second by my scalp still tingles from where his claws grazed it. 

My mind races back to the question he asked what seemed like eons ago.

"Like a professor. Dishevelled, absent minded, he wears glasses and an old suit jacket. I guess you could refer to him as quirky." He smiles. 

"A male version of you?" 

"Psht! No! I don't wear glasses or an old suit jacket. Am I dishevelled?" He kisses the top of my head. My heart thumps against my chest and I can feel myself blush.

"Only sometimes. Come on, we're going to be late." 

__________________________________________

"Hello Kagome how are you?" 

"Hello Professor, I'm great. This is my... boyfriend, Ichiro." I smile and step aside so they can shake hands. My heart pounds. Please, please, let this be the night I get a raise. 

"Hello." Sesshoumaru gives a bow and nods his head. Langdon smiles a toothy grin, his suit jacket tonight is a lovely shade of brown with little elbow pads that don’t quite sit where they’re supposed to. 

"Have you been introduced to the other heads of the museum Kagome?" Langdon ushers me to another group of dishevelled people and I can't help but wear a broad grin. I'm in, I’m part of the club. 

We sashay around the party, mingling with the other departments of the on campus museum. I think Sesshoumaru even enjoys himself. Out of the corner of my eye I see a smile tug at his lips.

"That's Borkov, head of Slovak for obvious reasons. Over there is Tomas, he heads the English department." I point out the different professors discreetly as he sips his drink. 

"You work with all these people?" 

"No. I work on the university campus. The only reason I'm here right now is because of professor Langdon, he wants me to tour the other professors around our collection." He nods.

"Kagome can I have a word?" Langdon asks from a few feet away. My heart thuds in my chest as I leave Sesshoumaru's side. 

"Kagome, I'd like you to meet Jeffrey." I smile and shake his hand. He’s a tall with curly brown hair and a small amount of scruff, his glasses sit half way down his nose and he uses a single finger to push them back up to their proper home. 

"Now I understand you don't normally accept offers like this, but I'm heading a project in Europe and would love for you to travel with the museums collection and help teach it to our curators." My heart stops. It takes a moment to restart. 

"Move to Europe? Where will we stay?" We… The word dances across my mind. That demon has already weaselled his way into my life and I don’t want him leaving anytime soon. 

"Almost everything will be provided and paid for. All you need to do is do for their museums what you did for ours." Langdon smiles and I feel a smile spreading on my face too. My heart continues to pound in my chest and I’m worried it will break through my ribcage and spill onto the floor. 

"Well what do you think?" I nod before I can even think. I did say that I wanted an adventure. 

"Good good! You'll leave in two weeks time, that should give you enough time to tie up any loose ends and have all of your things in order." I nod, shake Jeffrey’s hand once more, smile then walk back to Sesshoumaru. 

I feel his hand find my shoulder. "We're moving to Europe." 

__________________________________________

We pack slowly. It takes days for everything to sink in. It takes four days for Sesshoumaru to pack his clothes alone. 

We sell frivolous items that aren't needed. We sell the T.V in the living room, but keep the one in the bedroom, and the rugs that don't match the house, even the kitchen table.

We eat our meals on the floor where the table used to be, or huddled around one another in bed, trying not to spill anything on the sheets. Other things, important things, go to Mel's basement, for safe keeping for when we return. 

As if that's really safe from her prying eyes. Of course not. 

We sell it all and keep next to nothing. Only the bed, the T.V., the couch and of course, his clothes.

I tried to get him to purge while he was packing, but to no avail. 

"You don't want to get rid of any of this? Not even this?" I'm holding up a tattered pair of jeans. 

"I'm keeping it all." He answers stubbornly. Jeez, he's a pack rat too. So many secrets. "Fine you can keep them." 

__________________________________________

On the morning of the beginning of our journey, we pull out all the sheets we can find and cover our meagre amount of furniture. Moichi has already made his home at Mel and Ted’s new place in the heart of the city. Hopefully the little dog won’t be too much trouble. 

Sesshoumaru has just finished loading all of our suitcases into the back of the taxi when I climb in and tell the driver where we are headed. 

I wave goodbye to the little house.

__________________________________________

End of Chapter Eleven

End of Part Two


	12. Paris

Part Three: Paris 

Chapter Twelve: 

When we arrive a car picks us up and drives us to our new home. It pulls up to a beautiful old townhouse that stretches into the sky. Small balconies littering its front, sleepy cats peaking from behind closed windows. 

We’re on the very top floor, our minuscule apartment comes fully furnished with nothing but one room. The place itself is one giant room with a tiny balcony. Tucked into a corner lies a small kitchenette with just enough space for one person to cook. 

Sesshoumaru finished lugging all our belongings into the room and leaves them piled in the corner. I take this chance to call Japan. 

I already told my mom what I was embarking on and she could not stop telling me how proud she is of me. She hollered for gramps and Souta to come and talk to me and congratulate me on my promotion and my chance of travel. 

Of course I left out the part where I was living and sleeping next to Inuyasha’s full demon brother but I’ll tell them eventually, if ever. 

Part of me wondered how they would react while the other part never wanted to find out.

Standing on the balcony I watch as the city awakes slowly. Our little apartment over looks a small side street filled with scooters and tiny cars. Just across the street I can see a small courtyard connected to a group of buildings and I envy them and all their greenery. 

"Well, what do we do now?" I ask climbing onto the mattress, I look into his eyes.

"We sleep." He drapes his arm over me. Voice dripping in exhaustion. 

"We should explore!" He grunts, I try to escape. 

"Mmmm... we should sleep." He moans pulling me to his chest. 

"But we just got here!" Another grunt. 

"Explore tomorrow. I'm asleep, you can't leave now." 

"You make this so difficult." 

"Not difficult, sleep." He lets out a long breath and I sigh. 

"You promise tomorrow?" He grunts. 

"I'll hold you to it." 

___________________________________

I call Mel to make sure she's taking good care of Moichi and promise to keep in touch while we travel. 

We leave to explore and discover our new home. 

The side street that our apartment is located on leads to a main square filled with all the necessities of life. Small shops line all sides and I have trouble reading and deciphering all the signs. 

Trees line all of the walkways we travel on, the still green leaves fresh with the residue of a beautiful summer. On the tail end of every breeze that kisses my face I can feel the promise of the fall.

Sesshoumaru drags me into every single store related to kitchen supplies. He says that my kitchen gadgets are repulsively old and outdated. So he buys pots and pans, utensils and spatulas, baking trays and mixing bowls, while I stand around and listen to him speak French. 

The way he speaks is so beautiful, so fluid. 

We emerge from yet another shop, heavily laden with packages. 

"He says we can get fresh bread at the bakery down the lane." I sigh. I really need to learn how to speak French.

"Let's get some good wine too." 

When we get back home he cooks for me and we eat on the floor, looking out onto the city as it laughs and smiles, lights twinkling in the dark night sky.We let the balcony doors stay open to let the night in. 

"I start my new job tomorrow." I whisper as we lie on the mattress in the living room/kitchen/dining room. 

"You'll do fine." He whispers kissing my cheek. 

"You seem so sure." I laugh, burying my nose into his neck. 

___________________________________

I lie stuck between dreams and reality that's so close. That stupid in between where everything starts to melt away. A breeze blows in through the open balcony windows and hits my bare shoulders causing a shiver of cold to run down my body. 

"I don't want to wake up yet." I moan, covering my eyes. I can feel the sun shining in from the open doors but it does nothing to warm my chilled body. 

"Is it a bad idea to call in sick on your first day?" I've wrapped the covers right around me, creating my cocoon and I refuse to vacate it anytime soon. 

Sesshoumaru approaches with caution, whipping the blanket off of me. "UGH." 

"You needed to get out of bed at some point. I thought I would speed up the process." I groan, sticking my tongue out. 

"Maybe if you weren't such an angry sleeper, you would be more personable in the morning." I see him smirk before returning to his cooking on the stove.

"I'm an angry sleeper?" He nods. I take over one of the skillets on the stove. He’s been busy this morning cooking up a feast. 

"Yes, you stole all of the covers last night and growled when I tried to get them back." He stares at the omelet. 

"What? No way?" He nods again. I place the last pancake on the plate before adopting a confronting position, placing my hands on my hips, spatula still in my left hand. 

"I don't believe you." He smirks before taking the other pans off the stove. 

"You're very childish in the mornings." He laughs. All I do is envy his hair. 

___________________________________

Work is one long translation lost in space, although my French has gotten marginally better within the week, it's still rather poor. I struggle with small things like directions and somehow it gets lost in translation when I ask someone to hang something a certain way. 

We've met our neighbours on either side of us and they're a lovely bunch of people. I mange to get myself to and from work everyday and I only got lost once. 

On one Wednesday evening, I came home to Sesshoumaru cooking up a storm in the small kitchenette with Chopin playing loudly. He heard me come in but was too enthralled with what he was doing to acknowledge me just yet, so I stood in the doorway and watched him. 

He dances between multiple pots on the stove, making sure they all stay at the right temperature. His hair swings behind him leaving a black trail wherever he goes. I can see the smallest peak of silver coming in just at the root. The demonic marks I love so much remain uncovered when we’re home. 

Crossing the threshold I close the space between us and plant a gentle kiss on his lips, my boldness making me blush and turn away after I realize what I’ve done. At that he grabs hold of my chin gently and returns my affection. 

“Thank you” I whisper as he hands me my plate. 

We sit, shoulder to shoulder on the balcony and I welcome the warm summer breeze. Sesshoumaru looks at me before looking back over the city. 

“For what?” He whispers back. 

“For coming with me, for keeping me safe. For keeping me company. For everything.”

___________________________________

End of Chapter Twelve


	13. Chapter 13

Part Three: Paris

Chapter Thirteen:

"We should have Craig and Stella over for dinner." I suggest over another beautiful breakfast. After living only two weeks in the apartment we have made ourselves as at home as possible, given the circumstances.

  
Sesshoumaru folds the edge of the newspaper down and looks at me.

  
"You do realize we don't own any furniture. Right."

  
"We have furniture!” I argue taking another bite of toast.

  
“A mattress on the floor and a stove does not count as owning furniture."

  
In his defence our apartment is very bare. We have no comforts of home here, everything is borrowed. This is not our mattress or our kitchen in Maine. The small townhouse we shared briefly was more of a home then the apartment in this foreign city.

  
"Come on I think we should. Or better yet, let's have a party. We can invite Craig and Stella, as well as the people from the museum, even the other neighbours." I know he's smiling from behind the paper.

  
I just have this amazing way of convincing him.  
_______________________________________________

With the people invited, the wine bought and the menu chosen, Sesshoumaru and I spend the whole day leading up to our party speaking French and cooking.

  
"You speak like you're disgusted. Just be happy our guests speak English too." I roll my eyes.

  
"Whatever. Gramps and mom called today. They say Japan is beautiful right now. Souta and Ayumi are still together, the shrine is busy which is good. They want us to come visit." I look down into the chopped onions. I haven't told them about Sesshoumaru just yet. I should have when they called, but I didn't. They miss me, and want me to come home. But I'm not ready yet. I'm still running from my fears.

  
I haven't outrun some of them yet.

  
"I can't go back yet." I tell the onions before throwing them into the pan, along with all of my worry.

_______________________________________________

"You need to lift your end more."

  
"I am! I am! Maybe if we went through your clothes we could fit it in the closet better!" We bicker, lifting and shoving the mattress into the teeny tiny little closet in the small and cramped ‘bedroom'. Although our bedroom is also our living room, dining room and kitchen.

  
"Done!" I push my bangs off my face while Sesshoumaru checks on our appetizers.

  
Never did I ever see myself living with Sesshoumaru in Paris…

  
I give a small stifled laugh as he leans over the oven, apron on. He dons oven mitts, taking our finished appetizers from the oven and placing them on the stove top.  
Closing the minuscule gap between him and I, I reach up wrapping my arms around his neck, tangling my hands in his hair. This sudden and bold gesture catches him off guard. I hear his breath hitch in his chest ever so slightly. I take this as my cue to pull away.

  
He catches hold of my waist, arm snaking around, hand resting on my hip. He holds me close, so close I can feel his chest rise and fall against my own. With no space between us I can feel his breath on my nose, can see his pulse jump beneath the thin skin of his neck.

  
There's a knock at the door and I try to untangle myself from his grasp. With some wiggling I manage to make it over and pull the door open.

  
"Hey! Craig! Stella! How are you guys?" They hand me a bottle of wine.

  
"We've been great! It's just a little something."

  
"Aw guys thanks so much you shouldn't have." I take the bottle from Stella’s outstretched hand.

  
"It was no problem Kagome, honestly." Stella smiles and all I think is they fit so perfectly.

  
Stella stands just in the doorway and she looks beautiful, long brown hair tied up in a tight bun. She wears a cute little sun dress, trying to soak up the last tendrils of the hot summer air.

  
"Make yourselves at home, sorry about the lack of furniture, we haven't found any we like yet." They laugh.

  
"Oh don't worry, we're in the same boat." Craig takes a seat at the kitchen bar.

  
Another knock at the door and Jeremy lets himself in, presenting me with a small beautifully wrapped box.

  
“Open it” He prompts me and I do so. Inside is a small assortment of beautifully decorated and brightly coloured confections.

  
“Where did you get these! They’re so beautiful!” My sugar hound looks over my shoulder.

  
These are going to be gone in no time…

  
“There’s a small bakery on the way over here right by the museum, I’ll show you one day during lunch. Don’t feel bad eating them, I promise you they taste as good as they look”

  
I apologize for the lack of furniture one more time, but make up for it by opening the balcony doors. A breeze blows through the cramped apartment and I let out a bit of a sigh of relief.

  
Everyone arrives and Sesshoumaru serves the first course as we stand around, some venture to pile on the couch, while others take in the view from our balcony. Everyone's talking and laughing, the whole place buzzing with activity.

  
"So, where did you and Ichiro meet?" Stella asks between bites of Sesshoumaru’s delicious food.

  
"Well, we met in Japan actually, many years ago. Then lost touch and somehow rekindled our friendship when we both moved to the states." Many years ago meaning MANY years ago, like try roughly five hundred years. Roughly of course.

  
"That's adorable how you two met up again." I smile back at her then look at him, in his collared shirt and jeans with his stupid beautiful black hair that still looks so alien to me. I keep looking for silver and red, but I end up with black and alabaster skin.

  
We still don't fit. We have friends, but we still don't fit in with them. Here we stand, alone in a crowded and furnitureless room.

  
Doing nothing but looking for each other.

_______________________________________________

 

The party is a success. Everyone thought it was fabulous and loved what we made. Well, what Sesshoumaru made.

  
It's 3AM on a Sunday morning as we lay awake, entwined on the mattress on the floor.

  
"We still don't fit in. Part of me sort of hoped that I would feel like we belonged after the party. But I still feel the same." I sigh, curling into a ball.

  
"I don't think it's possible for us to fit in." He answers me slowly.

  
"But it has to be possible. We should be able to fit in outside of Japan." I huff.

  
What if we no longer fit in in japan?

_______________________________________________

  
End of Chapter Thirteen


	14. Chapter 14

Part Three: Paris 

Chapter Fourteen: 

I awake to the sound of our shower on full blast. I've caught him near the end, because I know he'll be turning off the taps and stepping soon. 

The door opens, and the steam escapes into the late summer air trapped in the apartment. His wet hair sticks to his body as he heads for the closet. 

I approach him slowly, moving his hair so I can see the markings down his spine. He's so beautiful. I trace the marks up his back, to his arms, and lastly up to his face.

"I love it when you're like this." 

"Naked?" 

"No. When you don't cover your marks. I think they're beautiful." I've got my open palm lying on his chest. I can feel the low thump of his heart as it hides behind his ribcage. 

I wish we could stay like this. Before the world where we don't fit in awakes and ostracizes us, leaving us on the outskirts of everything. 

"Why don't you leave them today? Just for me." I plead letting my hands wander to his face. 

"It's Sunday, you have to." He sighs loudly. 

"Thank you." I smile, pulling his face towards mine. I can feel his smile against my lips. He lets his hands roam around my hair. I pull away, smiling. 

"I'm starved." He rolls his eyes. 

"What? Do you want me to cook today? Do you have a death wish?" He laughs. 

"I have faith in you." 

"Pssht, yeah okay.” And so I served the worst pancakes ever. But he ate them anyway, and all he did was laugh. 

______________________________

We lounge about the whole Sunday and I bask in his beautiful uncovered face. "Why don't you just leave them like you did in Vegas?" 

"They worked in Vegas. It was part of my gimmick. They don't work here. They don't help me in any way right now." 

"I still think they're very beautiful." I pull his face over, kissing him before we slip into our comfortable silence. 

______________________________

“Can we be tourists?” Sesshoumaru looks at me with a perplexed expression etched across his face. I think I even see a forehead wrinkle. 

We sit on the mattress, sipping coffee, side by side. The balcony doors hang open, curtains billowing in a soft breeze. The fresh warm air feels like it’s kissing my skin, it blows his hair across my lap, the soft tendrils dragging over my bare legs. 

The two of us have lived in Paris for a few weeks now, and never once have we seen any of the sights. 

“Technically, we are tourists.” He tells me after a few moments, I simply roll my eyes. 

“I know that but still, we should go and see a few things before we have to move on to the next country.” Placing my head on his shoulder, my hand on his thigh, I try to wordlessly convince him to come out with me. 

“Would you like to go later on today?” I nod my head quickly and smile up at him. 

“Where would you like to go?” 

“Everywhere!”

______________________________

We get dressed up into our best tourist clothes, and head out in the summer sun. It beats down in the cloudless sky, cooking the pavement and subsequently my skin. Sesshoumaru holds my hand as we trudge along the cobble stoned roads towards the Champs Élysées, our first destination. 

Sesshoumaru has put together, as he likes to call it, the perfect way to see Paris. We are to walk down the main road and gaze upon the symmetry that is the Arc de Triomphe. Located in the center of a roundabout we stand, huddled together, and look at all the cars circling us. 

The winding and twisting stairs, with their claustrophobic walls make my heart race. Having him behind me slows the beat of my heart and calms me down. 

When we emerge to the outside world, the sun is just about to set. It sits low on the horizon, but not low enough to dip below the buildings just yet. 

“We have to hurry a little or else we’re going to miss the sunset.” He whispers as we get into an awaiting cab. My heart thunders against my chest, I know he can hear it. His close proximity makes me both anxious and excited.

It must sound like a scared little bird, flapping its wings in a confining cage, wanting nothing more than to be let out. 

The cool air of the summer night greets us as we stand before the Eiffel Tower. The sun, now fading behind the tops of a few tall buildings, taking its last bit of warmth as it fades away. 

There are barely any people when we line up to enter the elevator. It takes us up, all the way to the top. 

Only a few couples stand around the railings, gazing over the Parisian skyline. Lights dot the dark skyline and slowly they flicker to life as it grows darker. 

Sesshoumaru stands behind me protectively, arms wrapped around me. His whole body is emitting heat, I feel like I am against the sun itself. Melting into his touch, I welcome his hands around my waist. 

I don’t think of anyone around us. Only him and I remain, no one can disturb us. With that, the sun slips below the horizon, and the moon hangs in its crescent form behind us. The stars in the sky are almost completely drowned out by the background of the city lights. 

It’s almost as if every light in Paris shines tonight. 

I hold my breath quietly. I fear I am dreaming; I fear that in a few moments, I will rejoin the waking world and this will no longer be before me. I fear that he will disappear, will leave, and will find another human to play with. 

My bird of a heart races once more, but this time not of excitement at his closeness. This time it beats alone with anxiety. 

I can feel Sesshoumaru’s hands get tighter on my body as my breath quickens. I can feel him tense and begin to look for danger. I can feel the ebb and swell of demonic aura behind me. 

He’s looking for what’s troubling me. Little does he know that what is troubling me…is him. 

______________________________

After silently, calming myself down we make our way back to solid ground. He tells me that there is one more stop for our night of tourism. 

Leading me along the Seine, Sesshoumaru continues to hold my hand. After a few blocks we come up to a very small port filled with boats, and climb aboard. 

Huddling together towards the back we sit, legs pressing against each other. I’m stealing his warmth. 

He breathes quietly next to me, and I try to catch glimpses of him from the corner of my eye. Not wanting to look at him directly for fear of him disappearing all at once. My worst fear, that this demon who is sharing my apartment will become bored with my mortal heart and leave me. 

Just as I left his brother for my own stupid selfish reasons.

The boat begins to move, the black waters below us reflecting the illuminated street lights along the bridges that we pass under. 

A few teenagers sit in the rows in front of us, young couples are scattered around the entire top deck. The passengers on the lower level are laughing and being slightly rowdy. 

We near the first bridge and as we pass under, the teens in front of us throw their arms in the air and cheer. As soon as we’re clear of the bridge they return to their stoic selves. 

Sesshoumaru shoots a puzzled look in their direction and I giggle slightly. As we approach another bridge the same thing happens, only this time I can hear the people below deck doing the same thing. 

Every bridge we pass under more and more people join in, and soon, so have we. 

I giggle and laugh as everyone does the same thing. We pass another boat filled with tourists and they do it as well. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sesshoumaru looking at me. I grab hold of his hand and lift it into the air, shouting as we pass under what looks to be the final bridge. 

Still a little giddy from the whole experience we disembark with all the other passengers, who are also abuzz, and find a cab. 

“Thank you.” I whisper in the back seat, leaning my head against his shoulder. He shoots me a puzzled look. 

“We did what you wanted to today, you wanted to be a tourist.” 

“Thank you for coming and making it special though.” I plant a kiss on his cheek, his hot skin leaving my lips tingling. 

______________________________

They inform me of more adventurous projects at work. 

"Kagome do you have a moment?" Jeremy calls me into his office, and I remind myself to smile. 

"How was the ballet?" He smiles, folding his hands on the desk. I don't know what to tell him. 

"Beautiful." He nods quickly then continues with what he obviously called me in here for. 

"I'm sad to say our time in Paris is coming to a close as you know." I had almost completely forgotten that my days here are numbered. 

"We have one more week, then we're off to England. Will you have everything wrapped up and ready to go by then?" It's my turn to nod and smile. I consider telling Sesshoumaru to get rid of some of his clothes again, they are troublesome to move. 

The thought leaves my mind as soon as I step through the door. 

"I'm home." He's lying on the mattress, reading. I tell him about our next destination, we both look at the closet. 

"I'm not getting rid of anything." I roll my eyes, of course he isn't. 

______________________________

Only a short week later we're headed to England. Good old London, with a language I can speak and weather I loathe. 

It's raining when we arrive, and we hurry to load the mattress into the moving truck provided to us. Then once it’s achieved, we're driven off to our new home. 

I'm terrified. We had to say goodbye to Stella and Craig with the promise of visits. 

I call Japan, telling them where I am now. No one answers as per usual. 

"No answer?" I shake my head. He pulls me into his chest, and I let out a sigh. 

"Well, at least this apartment is much bigger. We even have a decent sized bedroom." Too bad we have nothing to fill it with. 

And so we sit in the empty room. He still has me pulled to his chest, and I don't want to leave. So I don't. 

______________________________

End of Chapter Fourteen

End of Part Three


	15. London

Part Four: London

Chapter Fifteen:

I give tours of my exhibit to small children who ask funny questions in their funny little accents, and then I go home to Sesshoumaru. 

Sesshoumaru, who is always reading and cooking, welcomes me every day. He cooks every meal for us. He says because he has nothing better to do, though I say because I'm useless in the kitchen. 

We explore our neighbourhood in the rain. We go for tea in the rain. We go shopping in the rain. It rains for days and days, and all I want is the sun. I feel like Noah without a boat, and no one seems to understand my dismay at the constant raining. My first biblical level rain storm wasn’t the most fun experience I’ve ever had. 

Even Japan’s rainy season was more predictable than this. 

On the first evening that the rain had stopped, the two of us lay in bed, huddled in a pile of blankets. The rain might have stopped but the frost sure was on its way. 

Summer may be slowly transitioning in France, but here in England winter was already nipping at its heels. 

Sesshoumaru made us a homemade brew of hot water, lemon and honey. He sips it slowly in the dark while I try to steal all his warmth. Our bedroom is dark and the only light comes from the television. 

An old movie in black and white plays on an almost silent volume when suddenly someone knocks on the door. We look at each other, he shrugs and stands so I follow him out of the dark room.

"Hello there neighbour!" A plump middle aged man stands in the hallway holding some sort of pie that I'm assuming he wants us to take. 

"Uhm... hello." He thrusts it towards me.

"The wife and I saw ya move in a couple weeks ago. We woulda baked you this sooner and had you round for some drinks but we were far too busy." I take the pie carefully, handing it off to Sesshoumaru. 

"Err... Thanks." He holds out his hand and I shake it cautiously.

"Name's Ross." I'm nodding now.

"Kagome, this is Ichiro.” I motion towards Sesshoumaru, the smooth muscle of his chest rises and falls slowly against my back. 

"Ahhh exotic names then! Wonderful! Do you have any kids?" I shake my head. 

"Well aren't you the lucky ones! We have two ourselves, my wife’s name is Mavis. You could always borrow ours if you're ever wanting to have some. Ya know for a test run." He lets out a smokers laugh and I try to come up with excuses. I’m smiling as big as I possibly can and running through all my escape strategies. 

Once again I am looking for exits, only this time I'm escaping from my own home. However, the only safe way out seems to be blocked. 

I feel Sesshoumaru's warmth behind me. His bare chest is pressed lightly against my back. I don't think either of us know how to shake this thorn from our side. 

"So where are you from then?" He inches his way a little closer.

"Japan originally." Sesshoumaru inches away slightly before saying. 

"I'm going to put this away." He leaves all together and I'm cold. I stand, alone, with a stranger in the doorway and I don't know what to do. Panic cascades over me as I try to keep my cool. 

"So, what are you doing here in jolly old England?" I stare, it takes me a moment to register the question. He probably thinks that I'm having trouble understanding English. 

"I'm working at the museum for a bit, on a touring exhibit." He nods, looking passed me into our empty apartment. 

"Little bare isn't it?" I smile nervously, anxiously waiting for Sesshoumaru's return. 

"We're used to it." I count to ten, waiting. He doesn't return. Taking a deep breath I look right at Ross's forehead. 

"Anyways I'll see you around." Quickly closing the door before he can say anything else, I lock it, double check that it’s actually locked then make a bee line for our bedroom. 

He's lying in bed watching the movie.

"Smooth." I cross my arms.

"Way to leave me alone out there." He just looks at me with his Sesshoumaru look. His blank, bored expression that is forever etched in his stone skin. An expression that I’ve always hated because it did its job so well. Heaving a great sigh I muster up the energy to make a fuss.

"I didn't know what to do, I expected you to come back. You're supposed to have my back you know that right? What the television is more important than helping me out of something? You know what, if you're going to leave me stranded like that, you can sleep on the floor." I throw open the door and he just looks at me, rising slowly. His eyes say nothing as he glides to the living room, folding himself onto the floor.

I growl, closing the door with gusto before stomping across the room and into my cold and lonely bed. His warmth no longer emanated from his side of the bed.   
I am very upset with him.

Thinking angry thoughts I stare at the ceiling, feeling my brow furrow into a crease. How dare he? Thinking the T.V. is more important than trying to help me get out of that situation! He was the one who decided to get up and open the door. This was all his fault after all. He’s supposed to protect me. I’m his…I’m his…What am I? 

Three words skitter across my already frazzled brain. Are we dating? Do dog demons date? Am I just a girl on his list? Does Sesshoumaru have a list? 

I am a stain in the book that he calls life. No more than a small ink smudge that he will try to rub away and white out when I am gone. Or when he leaves, whichever happens first. 

Just like Inuyasha I will die out and the memory of me will be tainted. 

We do share moments of intimacy here and there, but of course what immortal being doesn’t get lonely. Everyone needs a tender touch every once and a while, fearsome demons included. 

He could have left just now, been sick of me and slipped out without so much as a trace. 

Now is when the worry sets in, as if the “what ifs” haven’t gotten to me enough already. Tiptoeing across the room I let my hand sit on the door knob for a few minutes before making my final decision.

Cracking the door open a touch, I see him. He's lying on the floor, hands folded neatly on his stomach. His eyes are closed, long lashes resting peacefully on his marked cheeks. His hair fans about his whole body in a pool of darkness that I am still not quite used to. 

I crawl over, unclasping his hands, wrapping them around me. 

"I'm sorry." I whisper as quietly as I can. He pulls me tight to his chest.

"You can come back to bed." He opens his eyes, looking at me. 

"What's wrong with the floor?" I see him smirk and try to escape his grasp but he pulls me down right on top of him. 

"See, isn't it comfortable?" I smile kissing his lips softly. Instantly forgiven for my rash actions, unspoken questions still unanswered. 

_________________________________________

End of Chapter Fifteen


	16. Chapter 16

Part Four: London

Chapter Sixteen: 

We manage to stay away from Ross for quite a while, although I was the only one who had to do the avoiding. Sesshoumaru would spend most of his days cooped up in the apartment, and if he did leave it was for groceries and perhaps a cup of tea with me.

Quietly, we lived our lives and minded our own business. 

This bliss lasted until I was checking the mail one evening. 

It was cold, bitterly cold, but the rain hadn't yet turned into snow. I stop by to check if anything had arrived when a smokers laugh assaults me. 

"Oh shit." I'm looking for an exit but all I see is a trap. 

"Well hello there neighbour! How are you this fine and dandy evening?" I smile as genuinely as I possibly can. He's in his pyjamas and slippers. 

"err... fine." I try to disappear into the elevators without him following, but my attempt is futile. He waltzes in hitting the button for the twenty first floor then settling his eyes on me. 

"So, what have the two of you been up to?" 

"Nothing too special really. Just settling in." I now have a complete understanding of Sesshoumaru's need for space. 

"Well that sounds exciting how are you liking London?" 

"Oh it's great." 

"Sorry the wife and I haven't had you round for dinner and drinks yet. The wife makes a lovely home cooked pub meal.” I smile and rifle through the mail to distract myself from the anxiety of being stuck in here. 

"You two probably don't eat that sort of rubbish now do you? No you're far too fit for that. Your boyfriend is far too cut to be having a fry up." I stop myself from laughing. So he was checking out Sesshoumaru the other night. 

We exit the elevator and he's still talking. I stopped paying attention after he mentioned how cut Sesshoumaru is. 

"Well then. Ichiro's waiting for me with dinner. I'll see you around." I wave, trying not to focus on the large green stain perched on his shoulder. 

"Tell him I say hello and that-" He's still talking, I'm still smiling and close the door before he can invite us over for dinner again. 

"I think he has a crush on you." I tell Sesshoumaru very seriously. He raises a brow, kissing my forehead lightly, his lips leaving a hot sensation where they once touched. 

"He was talking about how cut you are. Which means he noticed that you were shirtless the other day." I smile. He does have a rather fantastic physique. Placing the mail on the counter I sit at the island, watching him hurry around the kitchen.

"Well then. You have some competition." I see him smirk at me. He's gained quite the sense of humour. 

"oh well.” I stand, situating myself in front of him. 

"What you're not going to fight for me?" 

"Well I will miss your cooking." I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing the side of his face. 

"You are an interesting human.”

"Well I sure hope so. That would just suck if I've been boring you this whole time." 

________________________________________

Mel calls after a while to talk about herself. We're on the phone for hours. I don't think she realizes that there’s quite a bit of a time change from Maine to London. She tells me everything and anything. She talks about Moichi and how he’s the cutest dog and everyone in the neighbourhood loves him. She talks about how Ted is doing so well in his new job and he’s already received two bonuses. She talks about how they’re redoing their house, she’s been shopping and how she’s quitting her job. 

I like to think of myself as a good friend as I sit patiently and listen to her speak. I like to think that but part of me knows I’m not being very good when I let my mind wander. Only half of me is listening as she drones on and on and on. 

Of course my family calls as well, but it’s mostly voicemails since the incidents with Mel and her endless talking have made me ever more weary of my phone and answering it. 

Sesshoumaru and I float through our time in England. We spend most of it avoiding Ross. 

We’ve figured out all his normal hiding spots. He always goes for the mail at the same time everyday so I plan my days around those times and always take the stairs. I’ve gained one thing from my avoidance and it’s a fantastic butt from climbing all those stairs. 

I convince Sesshoumaru to leave the sanctity of the apartment though, and on a particularly chilly day we venture out to Brighton. 

When we step off the train, the snow has already begun to fall and everything is blanketed in a beautiful coating of snow. It falls delicately around us as we trudge through the vacant streets. 

No one is around. No one sees as we sit on the bench overlooking the ocean. No one looks at his beauty. No one sees me sneak kisses over his exposed flesh. Which isn't much considering it's so chilly out. 

"I do not need these layers." He tells me, turning to face me. I roll my eyes and heave an exasperated breath. He’s been tugging at his damn scarf the whole time. 

"I thought you wanted to blend in?" He just looks out into the angry early winter ocean. I place my head on his shoulder gently, gazing towards the carnival that's closed down. 

We trudge along the chilly beach, pebbles crunching under our feet. Sesshoumaru doesn't seem as amused as I am with all the pre winter beauty surrounding us. There's this awful chill that looms around us.

I lead him into the town, into the streets and we roam. Just looking, in our beautiful silence. His eyes stay directly in front of us, he walks with perfect posture and takes precise steps towards our unknown destination. 

I'm mimicking him as we turn onto a street. I narrow my eyes and try to look bored and uninterested. 

"What are you doing?" he looks at me from the corner of his eye before turning his head. 

"Imitating you." I swear I see a smirk. 

"You're not doing a very good job." 

"I'm sorry, staying stoic and composed all the time is rather hard." That's when his face erupts into a full blown smile. 

_____________________________________________

End of Chapter Sixteen


	17. Chapter 17

Part Four: London

Chapter Seventeen: 

"I don't feel like cooking dinner." He's lying on the floor. I step over him and stand at the window. 

"I never asked you to cook anything." His eyes are closed but his shirt is open. I'm munching on a cookie that the sugar hound bought, and I'm looking out the window at all of the people crowding the streets. Going somewhere, or coming from, some place I don't think I'll ever know. 

"Are you hungry?" He's propped himself up on one elbow, with his hair gathering on the floor. 

“Yes, you look like an underwear model like that. You should have been a male model, not a stripper." I sit cross legged in front of him, popping the rest of the cookie into my mouth. 

"What would you like to eat?" I let out a sigh and cover my face with my hands before looking up to answer him. 

"I don't know, food preferably." I raise a brow and smirk at him. I just want to de-stress, push all of this negative energy towards something useful. 

Back in the feudal era I had no issue with stress, well I did, but not as bad as this. At least then I had an outlet. I could scream, I could shout, hold a grudge and storm off. Inuyasha would let me cool down, but he would always come to find me. Now, I feel like I'm letting it all build up, and I fear I might even explode. 

I feel like if I scream or yell, if I bubble over and run off, no one will come after me. We may seem placid but I am dying with unanswered questions. 

I need a bow and an arrow. I need an ear on a wall. I need someone to talk to. I need my mom, or even Mel. 

But right now I have nothing more then a complacent demon who enjoys silence. 

"Would you like to go out for dinner with me?" He reaches over, stirring me from my thoughts, and touches my cheek softly. 

"I would love to." My heart pounds at his touch and I can feel the blood rise into my cheeks to meet with his hand. I push all of my thoughts aside and concentrate on the arduous task at hand of getting dressed for the oncoming cold and rain.

So we get dressed in warm clothes and head to the East end of London. 

__________________________________________

"What did you do when you left Japan?" The subway screeches to a stop and we climb off. The cold bites and gnaws at my bones, dampness seeping into my jacket through all the minuscule open crevices. I can even feel it trying to permeate through my zipper. 

"I travelled.” His answer is dry, he doesn’t even look at me. 

"Travelled where?” I’m prying now. Trying to crack open his soul so I can get a quick peak, nothing but a quick fix to solidify him not leaving me suddenly. 

"Everywhere I could go." 

"So is this your first time in England?" He shakes his head. He's looking dead straight, looking for something that doesn’t seem to be there anymore. 

"I learned English here many years ago." I wish to have the memories he has. Every now and then he gets a look of complete reverie like he’s reliving the past five hundred years in a mere few seconds. 

We turn down a hidden street, and suddenly I'm bombarded with colour and sounds. Golds, oranges, pinks, purples, deep vibrant colours line shop windows. Exotic sweets occupy bakery shelves and everyone is smiling. 

He leads me to a restaurant and we're seated. We're in little India. I recognize some of the Hindu deities scattered around the restaurant. He looks at me silently. I see the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. 

"I can see you smiling." He looks at me slowly, as if memorizing my face. Like he's making a book of photos in his head. 

"Don't look at me like that." I say before I can think, I take a breath, steadying myself. I’ve seen that look before, many eons ago. Only it was on a face similar to his but not the same. Inuyasha gave me that very look before we fell into the well. It was almost as if he knew it would take me and not him.

A familiar eyebrow raises. Closing my eyes I answer him carefully.

"You look like you're planning to leave." I feel a sick urge to grab hold of him somehow, fold him up, and keep him in my pocket forever and always. His eyebrow still hangs on his forehead so I keep talking. 

"When you look at me like that, I feel like it's the last look I'm ever going to see. That I'm going to wake up one morning and roll over to find myself alone in a foreign country." I look at my folded hands to calm myself. This stress is killing me. 

I can't cry, I won't allow myself to. His hand brushes along my face, lifting my chin. 

"I won't leave." I look into his soft eyes and see a hint of something I've seen before. Of a distant memory, not in a restaurant, but in my very own bedroom. Sealed with a promise of protecting me with his life. 

Part of me feels as if I've failed him. A shallow promise of staying in his world compared to his deep promise of protection. 

When I look into Sesshoumaru's eyes that night, I see a deep promise, as endless as the galaxy we live in, and I fear my shallow heart is making terrified shallow promises.   
I’m terrified that my fear of being alone is talking and the rest of me isn’t listening.   
______________________________________________

I am told that I'm going to Italy. I say I'm excited, when really, I'm tired. Jeremy gives me the usual piece of paper with nothing but an address and a date. 

"This is where you'll be living. And this is when you're leaving." Three days from now; we will start, once again, another journey. 

Another destination where I can’t speak the language and I will stumble over my every word. Another place where Sesshoumaru and I will hide away, we will be each others one and only companions. 

I’m so tired that the walk home to tell him is exhausting, but I’m still excited to see him. My heart flutters lightly as I round the corner, our building coming into view and it is then I realize my ever growing feelings and smile.   
_______________________________________

End of Chapter Seventeen

End of Part Four


	18. Rome

Part Five: Rome 

Chapter Eighteen: 

While I arrange the kitchen, Sesshoumaru unpacks all of our clothes. 

The mattress has been delivered and we're almost done setting up, when there's a knock at the door. I hear a box drop from the other room, while I open the door. 

“Hello. My name is Italo, I’m your neighbour.” A tall dark haired man stands before me and speaks with a heavy beautiful accent. 

“I'm Kagome.” I say while I look him over. 

“Where are you moving from?” He's got his hands in his pockets as he rocks back and forth on his heels. 

“England.” I feel like I haven't blinked in ages. 

“Ahh... umm hello?” I feel Sesshoumaru materialize behind me. He regards the foreign boy from his taller height, standing defensively against me. 

“I'm Italo.”

“Ichiro” I can feel the look Sesshoumaru gives him. 

“Well... I just wanted to introduce myself. If you need anything ask me yes?” I smile and nod as Sesshoumaru closes the door slowly. 

“I think you scared him.” He just looks at me. He breathes in slowly with an equally slow exhale. 

“He smells of hormones.” Sesshoumaru spits out, obviously perturbed. His sudden protective nature stirs something in my bones. I can’t tell if it’s lust or attraction to his abrupt animal like instincts to protect me. 

“He was just saying hello!” I shout from the kitchen. He's already returned to his clothes and doesn't answer me. 

____________________________________

I climb into bed at three in the morning, utterly exhausted. The museum is the most unorganized asylum I've ever been in, and I’ve been in a lot. 

Carefully, I contort myself into bed, trying my hardest not to wake him. But I do it anyways, I can see him crack open one golden eye. 

“Sorry.” He rolls towards me and relinquishes some covers so I can slide closer. 

“I wasn't asleep.” Wrapping his arm around me, he snakes me tight against his body. 

“Oh, well then I'm un-sorry.” I smile into his bare chest. Black hair braided neatly behind him, and his demon marks are out in the open for the first time since that Sunday. 

“I don't understand why you hide them so much.” My finger traces his cheeks, forehead, eyelids and forearms. 

He grunts. 

“You're like some sort of painting of what everything should look and feel like.” I whisper, followed by another grunt. 

“Shhh...You’re working tomorrow.” He chides giving me a squeeze. 

“You're much more attractive than Italo by the way.” I tell him bluntly. 

“I am not threatened by him. He is nothing.”

“Ok, whatever you say. Didn't seem like it though.” 

“He is nothing more than a human. That is all. No threat.” I feel like he's trying to convince himself more than me. 

“Mmmm. I see then. Just a human.” He pulls me close to his chest.

“Shhhh. I'm asleep, you should be too.” And with that the silence takes over. 

____________________________________

“Kagome! Hello!” I'm dragging my feet towards the god-awful stairs to our dumb apartment on the stupid fifteenth floor. 

All I want is to teleport into my apartment and into Sesshoumaru's arms. 

“Italo, hello.” I smile and put on my pleasant face. 

“How are you?” He's looking at me with wide brown eyes. 

The preset conversation of pleasantries lasts until we start our ridiculous climb. Italo stops speaking for a moment and looks at the stairs. 

“Does your friend Ichiro…like me?” Italo asks the stairs and I just look at him and wonder what type of like he's talking about. “Umm...as a friend?” I'm trying to read his face. 

“Yes, does he uh…have a problem with me being around you?” He looks at me and I decipher the meaning of his words. His broken accented English always sounds so innocent. 

“He can be jealous, but he doesn't have a problem with you, I don't think.” 

“What is your relationship with him?” His questions are prodding now and they're poking deep. 

“He's my boyfriend.” I answer simply as we round the corner to our neighbouring apartments, lucky us.

“Oh. Well I'm sorry Kagome, I feel...” He stops but I know he's going to finish his sentence. 

“I feel like you would be better with me. I would like you to come to dinner.” I feel like letting my jaw drop. I think he means what he said just now. 

“Look, Italo, I'm sorry but I'm exhausted. I'm going to go inside and go to sleep. I'll see you around.” I open the door and make sure to lock it behind me. 

Sesshoumaru is cooking when I walk in. 

“Smells delicious.” Strolling into the kitchen slowly I stay on the outskirts. 

“Pasta with chicken and fresh vegetables.” He answers my unspoken question. 

“Delicious...Italo tried to hit on me again by the way.” I hear a snort. 

“Was that a sound of jealousy?” I sneak up behind him and bury my face into his neck. He doesn't answer me, but I think it was a jealous sound that escaped his perfect lips. 

“Mmm... I've been waiting for this all day.” I dig deeper into his neck, pressing my nose to the top of his spine. 

“What? Watching me do all the work?” I know he's smiling without peeling myself off of him. 

“Exactly.” He laughs and I love the sound. His shoulders shake slightly as he turns to face me.

“Then again if you cook the outcome will be questionable.” He lifts my chin with his index finger. 

“My cooking isn't that bad.” Smiling, he kisses me softly. It’s always so chaste for someone who can have it all, and yet he doesn't seem to want much. 

Sesshoumaru pulls away slowly and continues to make his beautiful food concoction. I sigh, sitting at the kitchen table which is nothing more than two place mats on the floor. 

All I want is for him to be wild and break free from those well thought out calculated movements. 

Calculations aside, he makes some damn good food. 

____________________________________

End of Chapter Eighteen


	19. Chapter 19

Part Five: Rome 

Chapter Nineteen: 

“When are you going to come home sis?” I can hear the sadness in my brother’s voice. There are so many things that he has to deal with on his own because I’m not there, and it seems unfair. But I wouldn’t be much help to him there anyways, even if I did go home now. 

“When I’m done with my tour with the museum, that’s when I’ll come home. Okay?” My heart isn’t in it when I tell him this, and I know that he can tell. 

All he says is okay before our short goodbyes. 

I call Mel a few times, her latest fixation this week apparently is her sex life. 

“It was wild Kags, like you know in college when I had that crazy boyfriend? It’s even better than that! We’re like rabbits! I’m even thinking we should try for a baby.” I can hear her smiling on the other end. This thought sends absolute terror down the base of my spine. 

That is the last thing Melanie should ever want. 

“But enough about me! You and Ichiro must be getting a little crazy, right?” She giggles, I cover my face in embarrassment. Sesshoumaru can undoubtedly hear this conversation. 

He sits quietly in the next room, reading while listening to Mozart. Actually he’s probably listening to Melanie as she goes through all the positions we should try. Only part of me listens, the other part wonders what Sesshoumaru is reading. 

“…and he’s a stripper so he should be pretty flexi-“ stripper…the word rouses me and throws me head first back into the conversation I’m having. 

“What? How did you know?” There’s some trill laughter from her end. 

“Oh come on now Kagome, everyone knew. You weren’t very secretive about it. Plus, he has facial tattoos um hello?” I groan, rolling onto my stomach and bring my head under one arm. 

Great now Melanie’s family thinks I’m some sort of hussy, running off with a Las Vegas stripper. I’ll never be able to look her mother in the eye ever again. 

“So come on, favourite position with a stripper, I’m dying to know!” Heaving a great sigh I rub my face alive and mumble out an answer for her. 

“Actually, we’ve done absolutely nothing. I mean we’ve only just rekindled a bit of a relationship. It’s just nice having him…“

“I’m sorry what did you just say? You two haven’t had sex? What are you ninety five with a bad hip? Don’t give me those stupid excuses, I’ve seen that ass and it is lovely and you need to get on that like yesterday…” She berates me some more, bombarding me with all of Sesshoumaru’s beautiful features and describing them to me in detail. 

I didn’t realize she was looking at him that much. 

I hear a very small almost inaudible snort of laughter come from the other room after Mel describes his perfect calf when she saw it on the table at the strip club. 

“…I swear to god Kagome, if you don’t jump on that hunk of man some other girl will. Now you listen to me, you get on that and you get on that now.” She tries to sound stern, but Melanie will never be stern in her life. 

“Also I’m in love with Moichi and I hope you never take him away from me!” There is very tiny yipping coming from her end as she baby talks to the dog. 

I tell her I would like my dog back when I come home. I also tell her that I will take her kind words into consideration, and will tell her how things turn out before saying my goodbyes ,because she’s off to brunch and my dinner is getting cold. 

____________________________________

It's the middle of the night and I have to work tomorrow. I can't sleep, Sesshoumaru is facing away from me and he's hogging all the blankets. Watching his back rise and fall in rhythm, I sigh.

I've taken what Mel said to heart. What if he's waiting for someone better to come along? I am nothing but something to pass the time. His long silky black hair pools on the mattress, catching the moonlight that shines through the frosted doors to the living room/kitchen/everything else we could need room. 

I comb through his ends noiselessly to occupy myself without waking him. When I'm done getting out the non-existent knots, I split it into three equal sections and begin to plait it slowly. 

“Can't sleep?” his voice startles me. A deep tone in the silent and still night.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.” He shrugs tucking me into his arms, resting his chin on the top of my head. My heart races uncontrollably as he pulls me in closer, breathing into my hair. 

I can’t take it anymore, I’m burning and want nothing more than for him to be burning with me.   
Slowly, tenderly, I kiss his chest. His breath comes out in slow bursts as I trail my way to his collar bone. Hands shaking I explore, trying to memorize every inch of his body. I sneak a look up at him, eyes closed he grits his teeth. Eyes snapping open he looks at me and I can see hunger. 

His hands grasp at my waist, gripping me; pulling me closer before he pushes away. Our eyes meet and his are blank. Those amber eyes I’ve worked so hard to melt are cold as ice, blank as stone. 

Reaching, I grasp his face in my hands, forcing him to hold my gaze. I need him to look at me, need him to burn the way that I do. I want my insatiable hunger to rub off on him. Closing the gap I kiss his lips with determination. 

I need you to need me.

Feeling him hold back I push more, tangling my hands into his hair, forcing him to stay close. Something rumbles deep in his chest, low and animalistic, I’ve never heard a noise like this from him before. This is my invitation to take things further, I bite his lip slowly giving it a tug. 

The noise that started in his chest escapes his gritted teeth. His eyes are closed but I know the hunger that lies behind his lids. I want him to open his eyes, I want him to grab onto me, to devour me whole. Gripping tighter I feel his claws on my flesh, digging ever so slightly. I press myself against him fully, feeling his hard length brush lightly against my need. 

The only thing that separates us is fabric and his uncertainty. Unknotting one hand from his hair I trail it down his chest, making sure I graze his nipple before cupping him in my hand. 

“Please…” My voice doesn’t even sound like my own. We lock eyes once more, his waver and flicker between hunger and nothing. He’s retreating behind his wall, looking for a safe haven. He pulls away, keeping me at an arms length, closing himself off. My breath catches and I let a whimper escape into the hot air between us. There’s so much space between us and I need the void filled. 

Something knots in the pit of my stomach, I need him. 

“Why are you holding back?” The word vomit falls from my mouth before I have time to think. I can feel the tears behind my eyes, sharp and emotional. 

I need this loneliness taken away…

His eyes try to tell me what he’s thinking. In the dim light they shine, his breath sounds laboured and calculated. 

“I don't want to hurt you.” He mumbles trying to put my face into his shoulder, being very calculated as to which parts of his body touch mine. His skin is hot, he feels fevered. All of his energy is going towards controlling every part of him. Pulse jumping I see it work below the thin skin of his neck. Every ounce of my being wants to take it into my mouth, if I just get him as close to me as possible my need will be taken away. 

“That’s bullshit” I breathe, voice almost inaudible but I know he can hear me. I can’t hold back like he can, my lips graze his pulse. Hot and heavy his hips jerk towards me in an unexpected motion. I pull away to look at his face, I want to see his ecstasy, revel in what he looks like when I taunt him. 

His eyes are closed again, teeth clenched in a painful way. He looks monstrous, like he could kill me with a simple misstep. It makes me want him more. 

My heart aches so badly for him. I just need him to show me how he feels.

“Are you going to leave?” Even quieter then before the words fall into the dead air. His eyes snap open and he finally looks at me, seeing me almost as if for the first time. I can feel his demonic energy swell for the first time in a while. 

His eyebrow twitches and a look of recognition falls across his face. Ever so slightly I see the muscles below his skin fall into their minute change. 

“On the contrary…” He breathes, his mouth forming around my ear in such a way that it sends a jolt all the way to my toes. The electricity curls in the pit of my stomach settling between my thighs. A guttural noise escapes my lips. 

His lips find mine with fervour, he’s never kissed me like this before. Moaning into it I need more. My hands snake down his front, settling around his shaft, his hips buck towards me with pleasure. Hands grabbing at any form of skin available we explore. 

No longer holding back he rolls on top of me, straddling my waist. His eyes drink me in as mine plead, please don’t stop. His hands find the sides of my face and we just look at each other for a moment. I wonder what he’s thinking, what he’s going to do, if he will take this need away. 

Suddenly his mouth is on me neck, hot breath dampening my skin. He is simply breathing in my sent, his chest rising and falling in such deep breaths it feels like he will breathe me in completely. Fangs caressing my skin lightly I feel him whisper my name, arms curling under my body he pulls me against him. Only a few layers of fabric fall between us and I want them gone. 

“I don’t want to waste your time…” His voice is alien, it’s rough and has emotion to it in a way I’ve never heard before. I need to see his eyes, I need to kiss his face. Holding me close I can’t pull away, instead I put my mouth to his ear. 

“I promise you won’t…” Pulling at the offending fabric keeping him from me I finally divulge what I want. He shudders under my touch, losing any last shred of composure he owns he moans my name. 

Finally, he touches me. Taking long fingers he trails them along my body but I need his skin on my own. Reaching under my tank top he cups my breast lightly, thumbing my nipple. 

More I need more…

Impatient I rip off my shirt, guiding his hands to where I need the relief. Blood pounds in my ears and I can no longer think clearly. Any rationale I previously held sat on the floor with my clothing. 

Trailing kisses down my stomach he finally sheds the last layer between us. Gripping my hips he teases me, sharp tongue finding where the pressure sits. Moaning I tangle my hands into his hair, pleading with my fingers his teasing will kill me. 

Taking his face in my hands I guide him back to me, kissing his soft lips. He breaks are kiss, looking at me for a moment. 

“Are you alright?” I nod quickly, please don’t stop. Words were no longer forming in my head, the dull ache became a pain between my thighs. Hips rocking, I press myself against his erection, coaxing him to me. 

I see him take a deep breath before positioning himself. Wrapping my legs around his waist he guides himself inside of me. Slowly, slowly he fills me up. The void of emptiness no longer there.

At this moment there was nothing but the feel of his skin on my own. He’s still, daring not to move, he tries to gain as much control as possible, but he’s taking too long. Rocking my hips towards him I see his eyes snap into focus. 

Those beautiful marks on his face grow fuzzy, the edges no longer soft, his fangs a little sharper then they were a moment ago, claws much the same. He closes his eyes taking a deep breath and I rock my hips once more. 

A noise escapes his parted lips and he can no longer control anything. Thrusting deeply he sees the pleasure on my face and I think I catch a smile. 

This is what I needed. His proximity, his closeness, his body against mine own. Sweat slick and mounting with pleasure. Closing my eyes I can almost feel them roll into the back of my head. Letting out a moan I grab for his skin, anything that will ground me and bring me back to where I am. I don’t want this moment to be over.  
I want to collect it, to pack it up and live in it for the rest of my life. This enveloping warmth that consumes every ounce of my being. 

His breathing hastens, muscles clenching, teeth gritting. His brow furrows into a full concerned look as he stares at me. Angling inside, he catches the perfect spot. A knot of nerves that takes me over the edge. 

The world turns white hot, I let out the breath I had been holding for too long. My fuzzy edge brain cannot decipher anything as I grip his hips. He continues to thrust, head pressing on those delicate nerves sending after shocks into my toes. 

With a final thrust my legs lock onto him, pulling him in closer then before. He lets out a grunt, pouring into me. His arms shake on either side of my face, tipping forward he catches himself, disengaging with me before collapsing. 

He pants, gasping for air next to me, he chokes on his own breath. Slowly, very slowly he regains his composure, his arm lies across my stomach, the opposite hand rubbing his eyes. 

I lie there just breathing. After a long few minutes he turns to me and there’s something new in his soft eyes. Just barely brimming in them I can see it, affection. 

Enveloping me into himself he breathes me in as he falls into the deepest sleep I have ever seen someone fall into. 

His close proximity no longer hastens my breath, now it calms me, slows my mind and I can finally calm down and sleep. 

____________________________________

When I wake I'm curled around his body, stealing all of his warmth. The sun barely touches the end of the mattress. I don't want to go to work, I don’t even want to move. I don't want to leave. Closing my eyes I don't look at the clock.

He rolls over slowly, draping his arm over me and grunting. All I can do is smile, so peaceful while asleep, and so peaceful while awake. So controlled while awake, and so natural while asleep. That stoic controlled aristocratic Sesshoumaru slips away when he sleeps. He seems almost human, minus those beautiful marks on his face and arms. My alarm goes off and I want to turn the world off. He breathes in and opens his eyes. 

“Morning.” I kiss his lips and grab hold of his hand. He smiles a rare smile.

“I don't want to go to work today.” I whisper to him quietly.

“Maybe you should call in sick.” He raises a brow. 

“Hmm...Maybe I should.” I stick out my tongue and leap out of bed. 

“Tell them you have the flu.” I grab the phone and fall back into bed.

“Look at you, helping me plan to lie in bed all day.” I dial the number.

“Who says we're just going to lie around all day?” 

____________________________________

End of Chapter Nineteen


	20. Chapter 20

Part Five: Rome 

Chapter Twenty: 

He's right we don't lie in bed all day. 

Instead, we sleep in. We wake up just before lunch and we go out for breakfast. We stroll around the city in our warm coats, hands intertwined. 

We window shop, we grocery shop. We do nothing but shop. For furniture, for exotic food, for clothes, like we don't have enough. 

We try things on, we take things off. We add layers, subtract layers. We smile, laugh, I try to keep warm. 

He buys me socks so my cold feet won't migrate to his side of the bed. 

I buy him a canister of Italian coffee for us to share in the mornings.

We eat dinner at a little bistro down stairs from the apartment. 

It's cold outside and hot in here. The lights are dimmed so that you need to squint to see, but it only adds to the feeling of winter sneaking up on us. 

“When was the last time you were here?” I ask after he finishes ordering in full Italian. “This is my first time.” His eyes shine in the candle light.

“How can you speak so fluently then?” I reach across the table to take hold of his hand without even realizing. 

“I learned sometime during my travels.” It's almost as if I can see the memories replay in his eyes. 

He's quiet again. We sit in silence for the rest of our evening.

_____________________________________

The week drips by. 

When Saturday arrives it's the biggest gasp for breath. It's almost as if the whole city holds its breath from Monday to Friday, then lets it out on Saturday morning. 

I creep into bed late on Friday night. Sesshoumaru's still awake when I slip under the covers and steal all his warmth. 

“You're freezing.” 

“I know” His arms circle me in the darkness. We're quiet for a long time. Neither of us are asleep, both of us lie in silence, not wanting to disturb the other. 

“Did you make friends? Or were you alone the whole time?” It's like my mouth had a detached moment from my brain. 

“Pardon?” I can hear his voice rumbling through his chest before the sound comes out. 

“When you travelled around after you left Japan, did you make friends or were you alone the whole time?” 

“Yes, but I was alone for most of the time.” I tuck myself beneath his chin. “Tell me about them.” His chest rises and falls in a deep breath. He pets my head quietly, thinking.

“I spent quite a bit of time in Russia. I met a few demons there and we lived together for some time. Other then them I stuck to myself.”

“What were they like?”

“They were just demons, we didn’t have much in common other then that. We mostly hung around the cabin we shared and drank vodka, talking.”

“Were those the only friends you made?”

“I made one other friend.” He lets the words hang in the air for a moment, waiting for me to pick them up.

“Who was your other friend?”

“Her name was Charlotte.”

“Charlotte?” 

“She was the oldest daughter of the towns butcher when I lived in France. We were both lonely at the time and found comfort in one another.” The memory seems painful but I want to know more. I pry a little deeper. 

“What happened to her?”

“She died. I don’t know what happened to her, but she got really sick and died.” I touch his skin with my whole hand, caressing it gently. 

“Were they the only people you met?” I feel him nod.

“You don't make friends very easily do you?” He snorts. 

“I'll teach you don't worry.” 

____________________________________

He's making waffles when I wake. The smell floats in through the purposely left open door. The sun creeps in slowly. It's just touching the end of the bed. 

“Mmmm... good morning” I hum in approval. He slides the newspaper across the floor. It hits my foot and he wants me to read it but I’d rather finish my waffle first.

“The exhibit is featured.” I smile a wide smile, skimming the article. 

“Wow! I got an amazing review!” He kisses my forehead, slipping another waffle onto my plate. 

“We should celebrate” He suggests. 

“Yes! Tonight we will” 

“I have a surprise for you.” The corner of his mouth twitches into a devilish smirk. 

“Are you going to tell me what it is?” 

“Nope.” 

__________________________________

He surprises me with champagne and a beautiful dessert.

“I think we should throw another dinner party.” We lie in bed with the bottle between us. 

“I mean we should throw it to celebrate the museums good review.” He plays with my hair as I lie propped on my elbow facing him. 

“How about next week. I'll cook them a traditional Japanese meal.” 

“Sounds delicious.” I curl up against his body to steal all of his warmth. It's so cold now. The window in the only other room in our apartment is open and neither of us wants to leave the warmth of the blankets to shut it. 

I place my hand on his face. His hands dip lower on my back. 

“We should invite Italo.” I whisper not wanting to say the words too loud. 

“And why should we do that?” 

“Because I need to teach you to be nicer to people.” He pulls me closer and touches his nose to mine. 

“What if I don’t want to be nice?” He gives a small mocking growl and I tap his nose gently, smiling.

“I will just have to punish you then!” 

________________________________________

End of Chapter Twenty


	21. Chapter 21

Part Five: Rome 

Chapter Twenty One: 

Everyone's been invited, including Italo. It's the morning of the night of our soiree, and I'm positively alive with excitement. 

Sesshoumaru's been in the kitchen all day; I don't want to get in the way so I just sit on the floor, watching as he chops, sautés, and bakes the dishes. 

His hair is pulled back and his sleeves rolled up, showing off the magenta marks on his forearms. He hasn't yet covered the ones on his face either. 

“Why are you smiling?” He asks from the pots.

“Because I'm so used to this sight. Seeing you like this. So human.” He rolls his eyes. 

Standing, I glide across the kitchen and wrap my arms around his waist, burying my face in his shoulders. 

“Do you need any help?” I feel him laugh. 

“I think I'll be ok.” 

“What? Worried I'll get in the way?” I feel him laugh again. 

“Well, considering you're already in the way now…no.” 

“Oh, so it's the cooking then isn't it?” He snickers. 

“Yes. I'm worried about the sake of the guest’s health.” 

“Well aren't you the gentleman.” I detach myself from him and slink to our empty, everything room. I lie on the floor and look at the ceiling. 

“There's nothing to do.” I mumble into the barren hard wood floor. 

He pays no attention to me so I sigh, and still not even a glance. I sigh louder, he turns but there is no verbal acknowledgement, and so I moan. 

“Why don't you go to the store and pick up some wine?” I grumble as I stand, and then fumble to put on as many layers as I can fit under my coat. 

It's gotten so cold so fast. Fall has barely arrived but I feel like it will snow soon. 

I kiss his cheek before leaving. Pulling my scarf around my neck and burying my ears in it, I brave the cold to get out of his hair. 

_________________________________

Italo is already there when I get back. I found him waiting around in the hallway right outside our door, looking rather embarrassed. I ignore him for the most part, and open the door to let us both in.

I chose the best sake to go with Sesshoumaru's traditional Japanese meal, and Italo brought more champagne. 

“Se-Ichiro, I brought you your wine.” He appears from the kitchen, towel draped over his shoulder, apron tied tight around his waist. 

“I brought Italo in, he was in the hallway when I got back from the store.” I see the look he's giving the intruder. It's a jealous dog like look, anger flaring in his normally   
calm eyes. I let out a bit of a laugh to break the tension. 

Placing my hand on his arm I can feel his muscles relax. 

“I've brought champagne to celebrate.” Italo offers a wide toothed smile and Sesshoumaru takes the bottle from his hands gently. 

“Thank you.” He brings it into the kitchen and doesn't return. 

“While he's cooking, why don't I show you around?” I offer.

There isn't much to show, since there are only three rooms. A bathroom right near the front door, our bedroom, and the large main room that acts as a kitchen/living room/dining room. 

I am proud to say that we now have furniture. Although there isn't much of it, sadly the museum had a very small budget, but we now have a table for the duration of our stay. 

“I like what you two have done with the place.” I sit in a chair while he looks around. We have no photos on our table, no art on our walls. Nothing but a clock on the wall, that always seems to remind me of my mortality. 

“Thanks, it's been a slow process.” Italo pulls a chair up beside mine. He's close, too close for my liking, and I try to move away in a non-offending way. 

“So how have you been liking Italy?” He shows off a daring smile and leans forward just a touch, and looks a little too interested in my answer. 

“Well, we've gone to the opera, seen a few films, took a trip to the art gallery a little while ago. But we've both been so busy, that we haven't done everything we want to do.” 

“Have you been to Pirelli's yet?” I shake my head no. 

“Oh well we must go! I must take you.” I am saved by a short knock on the door. 

“That must be the other guests.” I stand smiling, glad to get out of there. 

I manage to occupy myself with the other guests and avoid Italo until dinner, when somehow I manage to end up between him and Sesshoumaru. 

Everyone laughs and smiles complementing our sparse pieces of furniture, and his cooking. I see Sesshoumaru eye Italo when he tries to touch my hand. I also see his teeth clench as Italo leans closer to tell me something I probably don't need to hear. 

“You look very beautiful tonight.” I just smile and chat to my colleagues across the table. 

His hand slips to my knee when Sesshoumaru gets up to get dessert. I hold my breath and look at him with wide eyes, and he does nothing but smile. 

“Can you come here for a second?” Thank god! I excuse myself and refrain from running to the kitchen. 

He stands, both oven mitts in one hand. The dessert sits on the stove as he cradles the phone to his ear with his shoulder. 

“It's Souta.” I reach out to grasp the phone. 

“Kagome. Mom's sick.” He doesn't ask about Sesshoumaru, doesn't check to see if it's me. Just tells me in a flat voice, void of everything but anger. 

“Wha-What?” I sink to the floor and feel the eyes turn.

“Mom, she's sick. She has been for a month, but she didn't want to tell you. You were focused on your job and your future. The doctor says she's going to make a full   
recovery within the next few weeks, but they have to monitor her. She's in the hospital right now.” I'm a fish, I'm nothing but a floundering marine animal…looking to be tossed back into my natural element. 

But what is my natural element? Not the past; not now, not in this kitchen, not on this floor, not in this country. 

“S-Souta. I, I…I have to come home.” My voice says, and I feel everything that I don’t want to feel. 

“No! Mom doesn't know I'm telling you. She says it's just pneumonia. I'll keep in touch ok? Sis, I love you. I have to go.” 

“I-I love you too Souta.” But he's gone before I cry and that's all that matters. I can feel Sesshoumaru scoop me into his arms. 

“I should go back out there, shouldn't I?” He brushes the tears from my cheeks. 

“They're gone. I told them horrible news has just arrived and they all thought it would be best to leave.” I take a deep breath and sob into his stomach, still on the floor I grasp at his shirt, looking to be grounded. 

_________________________

It's Sunday and I don't want to get out of bed. 

The other side is empty, and it's dark outside. I take a breath to calm my shattered nerves and listen for the shower, but hear nothing. 

Soon I'm standing and heading for the doorway, just to throw it open and find nothing. Continuing my journey I see the light escaping from below the bathroom door.

He opens it and emerges in a cloud of steam.

“I thought you were gone.” I state, standing. 

“I thought you were asleep.” He replies solemnly. 

“I just want to lie back down.” I collapse onto the bed. 

“I never felt like getting up either.” 

___________________________

They tell me I'm going to Russia four days after Souta's call. I'm glad we're going, it means that I'm getting closer to home. I've never seen Sesshoumaru so excited about something. 

We leave tomorrow, and he hasn't slept since I told him. He wants to see his friends. I guess they're his friends? Allies? Fellow demons? They must be sophisticated and civilized, they have to be to hold company like Sesshoumaru. 

Yet all of this reassurance frightens me. I'm scared for the first time in a while, I'm absolutely frightened. 

“I can't sleep.” I tell to his shoulder blade.

“Me neither.” It replies.

“What are they like?” He rolls over and we're face to face, and I see an eyebrow raise.

“The Russian demons?” I nod, he lets out a breath. 

“There were three. Vladmir, Alexei and Maksmir. We lived in a small cottage in the woods and would drink vodka until we couldn't feel anything. Then we would go into town and buy books and good food. We just enjoyed the fact that we were no longer alone.” 

The conversation ends there, and I don’t ask anything more. So, we curl up and I sleep while he dreams. 

__________________________

End of Chapter Twenty One 

End of Part Five


	22. Moscow

Part Six: Russia

Chapter Twenty Two: 

I'm freezing. We step off the plane and I am hit with a wall of cold. It’s a chill, biting cold, the type that gets into your bones and makes a home there.

While it was fall in Italy, it's obvious that winter comes early in Russia. 

We travel to the apartment and I continue to shiver. 

This is the smallest apartment yet. There is absolutely nothing in here, the kitchen is no more then a small fridge and a stove. Our table and mattress just barely fits into the rest of the space. A small window occupies one wall, other then that there is no natural light. 

“Well, that was the fastest move in ever. Should we go explore?” I bundle up into my hat, gloves and scarf; while Sesshoumaru puts on a jacket. I envy his ability to keep warm. 

We leave the apartment and stroll through the busy streets with interest. After a few blocks, Sesshoumaru decides that we need to pick up a few things from the grocery store. 

Wandering the aisles, I am in charge of the cart, throwing things in when they peak my curiosity. 

“Hmmm... This looks interesting.” I stare at the foreign shapes and symbols. 

“I don't think we'll need or want that.” I toss it into the cart anyway.

“It's dog food.” I fish it back out of the cart. 

“Well, then why isn't there a picture of a dog on i-oh. Well, this is going to be difficult.”

“It shouldn't be.” I roll my eyes as he gives a small snort of amusement. 

I keep quiet as we stroll up and down the aisles, trying to decipher the symbols in silence. 

_______________________________

“What would you like for dinner?” We're putting everything away now, returning from the cold to the nice warm apartment. My toes are still defrosting. 

“I don't care, whatever you would like.” I say this offhandedly and my mouth continues to ramble before I can catch it.

“We should go see them soon.” He shoots me a quizzing look. 

“Your family?” 

“No, yours. Your demon friends that live in Russia. Let's go this weekend.” He gives a grunt of approval, but when he turns away I think I can see him smile. 

To think, Sesshoumaru has been alone all these years with no one, and here I am avoiding my own family. I have people, I have friends, I have others in my time who care for me and about me. While Sesshoumaru has me and that seems to be it. There are only a few demons left in my world, if any, other then him. 

He is the last of a dying breed and I am the one who is refusing to go home. 

____________________________________

“It's five in the morning. Have you slept at all?” I whisper to his side of the bed. In the darkness, I feel his head shake. 

“I have a philosophy. If the sun is still asleep, then so am I.” He curls around me and sucks the sleepiness right out of me. His warm body encircling mine, I can feel myself on the edge of sleep unable to fall any deeper. 

The two of us lie awake, me in his arms, and try not to disturb one another. When the sun just peaks through the tiny little window I decide that sleep is no longer an option. 

“Alright! I'm up! Let's get ready and go!” 

____________________________________

We wait near the tracks as the train pulls up, the one that will take us out of civilization and into the wilderness. Sesshoumaru is completely beside himself with   
excitement, in the most Sesshoumaru type of way. 

He stands stoically, stone faced as always, but every once in a while I can see the smallest hint of a smile dance across his features. 

“Where are we going?” I whisper in the crowded train. He shrugs. 

“You're kidding me right?” He shakes his head.

“I'm following my feet.” I resist dropping my jaw. We're going to get lost. In a city that I don't know in a climate where cold is normal and in a country where the language to me is nothing but gibberish with intonation. 

I tell him all of this and he responds with a very over confident Sesshoumaru like “Well it worked last time.” 

“What do you mean it worked last time!?”

After a very long train ride, it seems like we have made it past the first leg of our journey. On the edge of Moscow Sesshoumaru decides that we need to rent a car because my human legs are too slow. He says nothing as I get into the passenger seat. 

“And you're sure we're going the right way?” Once again he nods and I can feel my stomach sink. 

“This is the beginning of a bad horror film. I can feel it. Demon in fur hat and plaid takes young vulnerable girl into woods where he turns into some horrible creature and devours her soul.” I fake my gruesome demise in the passenger seat. 

“Or! Better yet, foul lumber jack mountain man takes young girl out of city to remote cabin in forest where he cooks and cleans for her.” I see him smirk as we rumble down the road, a small town materializing in the distance. 

“This is it?” and again, he nods, parking the car in front of a book store. 

“We would buy our books here. Vladimir was in love with a woman named Tatyanna. The only way he could talk to her was when he drank too much which terrified her.” He smirks again and grabs hold of my hand. Swinging it gingerly he pulls me through town. 

“Our cottage was just outside the town, just down that road there.” We trudge along the almost empty roads towards the town square. 

Everyone is bustling around us with places to go and things to do. But we have nothing on our agenda today, so we move in slow motion to sit beneath the statue of three men looking triumphant. 

“This is where Vlad had the courage to talk to Tatyanna. She shook when he spoke to her.” He's frowning at the statue as we approach it. An inscription along the bottom indicates why it's there. 

“What does it say?” 

“To him who vanquished us of the reign of vermin terror. Igor Coczenko, who hunted the demons of the forest. 1752.” Everything is still. His friends are dead. He sucks in a sharp gasp of air. 

“Maybe it's not true.” I squeak. Sesshoumaru lets go of my hand and deftly manoeuvres himself through the people.

“Sesshoumaru! Wait for me! Please! Don't leave me here!” I on the other hand clunk after him, lungs ablaze with stress and cold. 

He's nothing but a shadow ahead of me, with a swish of fading black hair he continues to dart down the road.

By the time I catch up he’s already entered the cottage, the door flung open I take my chance and follow him inside. Obviously lived in I call out his name, finding him in the middle of the living room. 

A man with wild eyes looks at me. 

“Stand behind me.” Sesshoumaru pushes himself between the man and I. 

They converse in fluent Russian while I can do nothing but wait for a translation. The man wears jeans and a thick wool sweater. His hair is coarse and brown, his eyes the same. He wears a permanent devilish grin with a single sharp tooth emerging. 

“He's a half demon!” Their attention is suddenly upon me, I shrink under their gaze.

“This is Vladimir's son Aleksandr. He's the reason they were killed.” His tone is flat. Aleksandr approaches me like I'm the animal, sniffing the air around me. 

“Alexei also has a son. He says Maksmir is still alive but he doesn't know where.” Sesshoumaru turns to leave and I grab his hand. Aleksandr looks at me with wide naive   
eyes, they soften and dart between us.

“Let's stay. Please, don't you want to get to know them?” Feeling him let out a breath he continues to relax under my touch. 

“Fine.” 

___________________________________

End of Chapter Twenty Two


	23. Chapter 23

Part Six: Russia

Chapter Twenty Three:

The only tension in the cottage is Sesshoumaru.

Alexei's son is named Demitri, he’s part wolf demon and filled with anxiety at the new dog in the room. 

I can see his big blue eyes scan the table for danger, wolf ears perched on his head radiating around at the slightest noise. His anxiety ebbs and flares with every movement, constantly worrying at something or another. 

The poor thing must have been living on edge his whole life. 

Neither of them speak English, so I sit patiently, trying to catch on to any word that I might know. 

Sesshoumaru doesn't bother to translate anything so I observe. In contrast to Demitri, Aleksandr is burly and calm. He wears a smirk at all times, as if he's plotting something devilish. 

His rough eyes sneak glances to me and I can do nothing but smile. There’s nothing else I can do to reassure them that I won’t rat them out to the villagers mere steps away. So I do nothing but smile softly when they sneak glances my way. 

Demitri doesn't join in on the conversation very much, he sits with his eyes lowered, not wanting to challenge the powerful demon. His behaviour is animalistic in nature, with a hint of naivety. 

The two dogs skirt around one another as the bear lies lazily in the middle. 

Demitri offers to make us something to eat and with some prodding Sesshoumaru allows him to do so.

We eat and they continue to talk, every once in a while Sesshoumaru will translate for me. After dinner is finished the boys offer us a drink. 

The four of us move into the living room. I had almost forgotten what it was like to have to get up to venture into different rooms. 

Their cottage is sweet and homey. The entire thing is made from dark wood and a fire rages in every room. A heaping pile of drying firewood sits next to each cast iron stove. Blankets are scattered on every piece of hand carved furniture. It looks as if everything they have has been made or rummaged from the near by village. 

Sitting patiently as they continue to talk I can see Sesshoumaru crack the smallest little hint of a smile. He’s softening to them, almost forgiving them, no longer placing the blame of their fathers death on the innocent boys. 

I've never been much of a heavy drinker. Even in my university years with Mel I would barely polish off a third of what she downed. When Aleks pours me a full glass of vodka as if it's water I feel like I'm going to drown. 

No one wants to insult two hot headed half demons. I’ve done that one too many times already in my life. 

“They want to know more about you now.” Sesshoumaru catches me off guard and I gulp down one too many swallows of the very potent vodka. Sitting up a little, they’re all staring at me now. Content in waiting for me to answer. 

“Why do they want to know about me?” 

“They've never met a human, other then their mothers, who tolerates demons enough to live with them.” 

“Tell them to ask me anything and I will do my best to answer.” There's more conversation in Russian. 

“They want to know how we met.” 

“Well, you should know that since you were there.” I tell him sarcastically and he looks almost embarrassed, turning back to the half demons, he translates quickly.

“Why did you pick a demon when there are many others to choose?” I feel like a movie star. All the eyes are on me and I'm being interviewed for Vogue. Everyone will be hanging on every word. 

“Because I did. We found one another and we fit.” We fit perfectly. He is my stability and I am his adventure.

“Do you have kids.” 

“I don't know Sesshoumaru, do we?” I give a bit of a giggle, hitting his shoulder gently. There are no more questions so we sit as they talk. Every few moments, 

Sesshoumaru translates for me, trying to get me into the conversation. 

I'm part way through my drink and I can no longer take the weight of my own head on my shoulders. My mouth is filled with marbles and the room is spinning. 

“Can I ju- can I just put my head on your lap?” I ask already tipping over, I lie facing the bear and the wolf. Their glasses emptied, they pour more and share laughs. 

“Sessh. I-I can't hold my alcohol.” I feel whatever we had for dinner climb from my stomach. 

Leaping into the air I bolt through the door, the contents of my stomach emptying in the front bushes. Sesshoumaru pulls my hair back, folding me into his arms. 

“Come on. You can lie down inside.” Up is left and down is right. He places me in a bed and I feel like I'm on a boat. Everything is spinning and my stomach does not seem to want to subside.

Someone Russian walks in the door. He hands me a bucket. “Aleksandr?” 

“Demitri” He sits on the end of the bed, as far away from me as possible. I don't know how to communicate with him, sitting up I look at him and try to find words. 

“Uhmm... hello.” He nods. I'm sitting up and he's the one swaying. I feel my brow furrow as my face makes contact with his shoulder. 

I moan grabbing hold of my nose, flopping to my side. Closing one eye I try to make the spinning stop. 

“Er. Hello.” I see his blue eyes lock onto mine. 

He says a string of words, staring at him blankly, I shrug. 

“I... don't understand.” It's his turn to stare at me blankly. I shrug my shoulders. 

He's trying to make contact. Demitri points to me frantically and I nod. 

“I”

He thrusts his hands into his chest in a grand motion. We’re playing charades.

“Heart” 

Leaping up he throws open the door and energetically points to Sesshoumaru still sitting with Aleksandr, his back to us. 

“Sesshoumaru” I say nodding. It's his turn to shrug. How am I supposed to answer that with charades? I look at him from where I'm laying down on the bed with one eye open. 

I think his shrug meant why. Why do I love Sesshoumaru, I couldn't tell you even if I was sober, I couldn’t even tell him if I was fluent in Russian. 

I can’t help but stare at him, studying his face. So innocent and naive, his eyes large with questions. Sometimes when he smiles one of his fangs slips over his bottom lip.

His ears remind me of what once was. Of a boy in turmoil and a girl that was supposed to be his. 

An absent minded hand reaches to brush the soft grey fur. When I make contact it burns and my eyes water. 

I do love Sesshoumaru, I do. A part of my heart still lies in the past though, and it kills me. I left him with nothing, not even an answer. We were supposed to make it together but I was the only one the well accepted. My heart aches, not of missing, of unanswered questions. 

“Inu...Yasha...” I feel a tear slip down my cheek. All I want to do is bury my face into something familiar. I feel the tears well up, the lump burn in my throat. 

I see Demitri's face drop. Curling up onto the bed I cry, let all the flood gates go. 

Demitri panics and shouts something. I'm being picked up again and carried out into the cold. 

“Tell them... thank you... and I'm sorry for my alcohol level.” He puts me into the car. 

_______________________________________

“Sesshoumaru. I'm still drunk.” He laughs. 

“UGH Why?!” I roll onto my back and let the nausea and dizziness subside. 

“Why don't we order in.” He props himself onto his elbow. 

“Ew. Food. You can if you want. I'm not feeling the whole eating thing today.”

_______________________________________

End of Chapter Twenty Three


	24. Chapter 24

Part Six: Russia

Chapter Twenty Four: 

It's been a week since we met Aleks and Demitri, and Sesshoumaru is not his usual self. He's sulking. We order in every night.

I miss his cooking.

He no longer covers his marks, which I don't mind, but it shows he no longer cares. His hair has almost completely faded back to silver, only a few grey strands remain among the white. 

I'm worried about him. I've been back to work for three days and his depression is killing me. I'm used to our silence but not this silence. This silence is not the comfortable one we once shared together. This silence is isolating and lonely. 

“Alright. What's wrong” He's laying in bed watching television when I get home. “What do you mean?” I spot the sundae he's been hiding. What a sugar hound. 

“You're eating ice cream.” I'm changing as he flips through all four of our Russian channels. 

He shrugs with the spoon in his mouth. 

“Sesshoumaru, something is wrong. Please tell me?” Sauntering over I try to take the spoon. He growls playfully letting his eyes wander. 

“Don't you dare do something seductive and distract me.” He lets the spoon go, grabs my waist and throws me onto the bed. 

“Cheater! Cheater!” I shout as kisses are showered over my neck.

“You can't distract me!” But it's too late, the clothes are shed.

______________________________________________

“So are you going to tell me?” He grabs hold of my waist. 

“No, you know what, that’s fine. I was just going to guess anyway. You're sad and depressed about not seeing your friends again. You're upset that Aleks and Demitri are to blame. But they're not. It's the villagers fault that they're gone. Maksmir is still around. We can find him. Why aren't you just happy that you're alive!” I feel the tears prick my eyes. 

“You can be so selfish sometimes! At least you're alive! Think about it! Everyone’s gone! They’re all gone! Every one of them! Just be happy. Please. For me, just be happy” 

He cups my cheek. I should take my own advice. I was the one who was selfish. I was the one who left… I had a choice and I decided to leave, and now the one person I came back for I’m not even near. 

“I am happy. I am happy that I am alive, but I am allowed to be sad that my friends are gone.” He nuzzles his nose to mine, tracing his hand down my cheek, taking the tears away. 

“Well, you have a weird way of showing it.” I look to the ice cream bowl beside the bed. 

“Would you like me to grin all the time?” 

“Of course not, I just want you to show some emotion is all. That way I can pick up the pieces for once in my life.” He pulls me close and I wrap my legs around him. 

“But then what will I be good for if I can't fold you up and protect you.” 

“You can be my partner in crime. Working together to pick up the pieces.” 

_______________________________

Sesshoumaru's almost back to his old self. We've successfully kept in touch with Aleks and Demitri, they’re even supposed to come to the apartment for dinner soon. 

“What should we make for them?”

“You're the chef. You decide.” He decides on duck and we need to head out to the grocery store to gather all of the ingredients. 

“I feel rather useless not being able to read.” I lean against the cart as he grabs all the items on the list. 

“I saw that sugar hound. We have chocolate sauce in the freezer.” He puts it back, turning abruptly. 

The edge, it touches my consciousness, caressing my brain gently. The demonic aura that is not Sesshoumaru’s floats close by, watching. 

“I feel it too.” His eyes widen, I can even see his hair stand up, the slightest movement. I hold my breath. 

“Maksmir, he's here.” And once more Sesshoumaru is off faster then an Olympic sprinter. Down the aisle filled with canned goods I try my best to keep up. 

Stumbling after him, the aura plays on the edge of my psyche. It caresses the ends of my thought, it’s something I haven’t had to deal with in such a long time. I find it hard to focus all my energy onto where it could be. 

That’s when I see him. He stands, tall and strong, much like Sesshoumaru. His aura hangs around him, blanketing him, almost like armour. I catch my eyes with his and it’s like they’re on fire, they smoulder in their sockets. Sesshoumaru takes this opportunity to step in between us. 

“Ah, Sesshoumaru, I see you've settled down then.” His eyes are alight and he smiles. I feel like I've been wrapped in blankets, the heat that emanates from him is so great I find it a little hard to breathe. 

“That I have, why are you not with Aleks and Demitri.” I wrap my arm around him for I'm worried Sesshoumaru will take out all his anger on an equal opponent. His words are sharp when they leave his lips.

“The boys needed to learn how to fend for themselves. They needed to become independent. So I left and travelled and now I've come back.” That's why they didn't know where he was. Sesshoumaru loosens next to me.

I feel like we should invite the poor man home for dinner.

Maksmir is cautionary, like he's worried he's going to lose control. As he stands in the aisle I just study him. 

A thick wool coat falls from his burly frame, it’s tattered and has seen better days. He relaxes a little when he notices me looking at him. Placing a hand in his pocket he takes a moment to give Sesshomaru a look over, looking for anything different after all these years. 

“I'm surprised you're not dead too.” Sesshoumaru says coldly. 

“I left right after you. That's when Alexei and Vlad decided to mate with those humans.” I take my queue to untangle my arm and shuffle away. If they were going to break out into a brawl in the middle of a grocery store, I was going to be as far away as possible. 

The list of food needed is written in his beautiful hand writing and I've made it into a game, trying to get as far away from them as possible. It’s like hide and seek but without people. Only it's much harder looking for peas then it is looking for a person. 

Peas can't shout olly olly oxen free when you've given up. Maybe peas are considered a foreign food in Russia. 

As I stand contemplating whether or not peas are a foreign food, Sesshoumaru finds me. “Did you get everything?”

“Are peas considered a foreign food here?”

“Can I have the list? It will be much easier if I have the list.” 

I give him the list. 

____________________________________

Aleks, Demitri and Maks are set to arrive within the hour. It's been so long since we've seen the boys and it makes me so happy that Maksmir finally went home to them. 

Sesshoumaru's in the kitchen as always, while I'm getting frustrated at my closet again. 

“I have nothing to wear!” Shouting, I turn. He's leaning in the doorway, laughing at my conundrum. 

“I think what you're wearing now is quite adequate.” I give him a look, all he does is slide across the room. 

“I'm not sitting through dinner in my underwear.”

“Damn. And I was so hoping you would like my ingenuity.” 

“You're such a dog!” I say between bouts of laughter.

“It's in my nature.” 

“Thank god that's about the worst trait you inherited. Explaining you marking your territory every ten feet would be quite the hassle.” He leans down and kisses my forehead. 

We leave it at that. I still don't know what to wear, but my choice is hastened by the knock at the door. 

“Be right there!” I throw the first thing I see on. 

Sesshoumaru opens the door and the boys stroll in bearing gifts. 

Demitri smiles, pointing at me. All I can do is smile back as he pulls his hat off. 

“Hello!” He exclaims to me alone excitedly. 

“Well hello!” I shout back. He takes a step towards me, deep in thought. 

“How... Are you?” He's smiling so wide. Aleks and Maks speak to Sesshoumaru as Demitri and I try to converse. 

“I'm great, how are you?” He smiles the whole time. 

“He's been trying to learn English since he met you.” Maksmir informs me over dinner. Demitri nods happily. 

There are more conversations in Russian and I smile and nod and listen. “I... shall teach you?” Demitri looks at me with wide eyes. 

“Yes. You will teach me.” And so I begin to learn a language that makes me sound like I’m throwing up my own tongue. 

_____________________________________

We sit in the only chairs we own. I refuse to throw up this time. Our conversations are difficult but worth the effort. It's worth the searching for words. It means we're more fragile with what we have to say and what our responses are. 

There’s always vodka with these boys and it will be the death of me. 

The phone rings. The phone never rings. I excuse myself in broken Russian as Demitri smiles at what he taught me. 

“Hello?”

“Kagome?” It's Souta and his voice sends a bitter chill through my body. 

“What's wrong?” His breath through the receiver tells me something that doesn't need to be said. Mom’s sicker then we thought.

“No.” I speak before he has time to acknowledge. 

“You said she would be fine! I thought she was fine!” I scream into the phone. I can hear him cry. 

“That’s what she told us! They said she would recover and she’s just not getting better. Sis it’s bad we need you home. I need you home.” 

“I'm coming home Souta. I'll be home, I promise. I love you.” 

“I love you too.” I hang up without saying good bye and sink into the cupboards. Why? Is all I can think about when the wave hits me. 

I can't cry anymore. The tears are gone. They've been dammed up and dried up. 

Sesshoumaru helps me to my feet. 

________________________________________

Demitri's ears look for danger. He's ready to pounce when I stumble into a chair. Warm arms encircle my cold body. 

“I am apologies” He says. I smile at his round eyes. His wolf ears are droopy, like they've fallen asleep. His brows are almost touching his hair line. He looks shocked but deep down he knows how I feel. 

His mother was taken from him too. Quickly, slowly, I'll never know. Aleksandr's mother was taken too. 

I see the remorse in his eyes. 

I don't know what to do. Tell them to leave. Tell them to stay. I don't know if I should stay sitting or stand. My hands are restless as they knot the end of my shirt. 

I breathe in through my mouth. There's a slur of Russian around me. “They don't know what to say.” Sesshoumaru translates. 

“So they are going to go.” I nod standing. Numb. More broken English, more hugs. More apologies. As the door closes and I step away I land in arms that lift me out of grief. 

“We're leaving tomorrow. I called the museum. Our flight is in eight hours.” All I do is nod. 

_________________________________________

End of Chapter Twenty Four

End of Part Six


	25. Tokyo

Part Seven: Tokyo

Chapter Twenty Five: 

It's still dark when we take off. I didn't sleep last night. I don't sleep now. Sesshoumaru holds my hand and I lean my head on his shoulder. 

It's weird speaking Japanese. We leave and take our things. The entire time I'm looking for something familiar, but everything seems to have changed.

Small things, as well as big things. Certain shops are no longer where they used to be. The small store run by Mrs. Yamamota is now a chain restaurant. Nothing seems to have stayed the same. 

It has become what I was so afraid of. We no longer belong anywhere. 

The cab drops us off in front of the shrine steps, he takes the minimum bags we managed to pack and brings them to the top. 

“I'm scared” I whisper. Sesshoumaru squeezes my hand as I knock on the doors of my childhood. Souta opens them and the house is quiet. 

He's taller then me now. He was taller then me when I left. So I don't understand why I'm so shocked. 

“Come on in sis, Ayumi's inside.” I pull Sesshoumaru into the silence of the house. Souta looks at him, mouth agape.

“Souta, this is Sesshoumaru.” I see the recognition in his eyes and nod. “Yes, Inuyasha's brother.” 

________________________________________

I explain. I explain everything, and everyone listens. We're the only ones in the house. Ayumi is in the kitchen as I explain. 

I wanted to come home. But not like this, not with this impending doom looming above me. 

“You were a Las Vegas stripper?” I think Souta's question caught him off guard. Sesshoumaru looks at him and raises an eyebrow before nodding. 

“Yes. I had many jobs to keep me occupied.” He says it like being immortal is some sort of awful chore. 

I roll my eyes. 

“We're staying in my old room right?” Souta nods and I leave to get my things. The tension diffuses immediately. 

It's as if I'm back in middle school. I'm going to turn around, I'm going to shout at Inuyasha for something dumb. He's going to break something and I'm going to childishly tell him to sit. 

But nothing happens. Nothing breaks. No one yells. I don't turn around, because I know for a fact that different eyes will be staring at me. And I won't be completely used to it. 

Not the covered marks. Not the wrong clothes. Even this Sesshoumaru is different then my Sesshoumaru. My Sesshoumaru has his marks uncovered and his hair white with the smallest hints of silver throughout. 

My room hasn't changed, it's like it was sealed off from the outside world when I left. My previous life enshrined. 

He sits on the bed and I can see hints of my Sesshoumaru shine through. 

“I don't want to be here like this.”

I curl up in front of him. He strokes my hair absently. 

“When everyone's so sad and gloomy. I wish we could have come back to a happy house, filled with people celebrating.” That's what the house was like before. At least that's how I remember it. Before I was thrown down the well. I miss those days. 

“Kagome! Dinner is ready!” At least that hasn't changed. 

________________________________________

Ayumi's cooking is better than mine. Souta gloats about it the entire time, Mom's chair remains empty. 

“How's Gramps doing?”

“Good. He's doing good.” Souta replies softly. “They're treating him well?” Souta nods. “Have you visited him recently?” 

“Mhm.” I want to ask if he remembers anything at all. But I leave that question unspoken. 

Ayumi chimes in, whisking the conversation away effortlessly and brings it up to a lighter note. 

She continues this for the rest of dinner. 

We all excuse ourselves and leave to our separate rooms, closing each other off from the outside world. 

I shuffle into the room and fall onto the bed. All of these old belongings that meant so much. I have this awkward feeling eating at me and it's telling me we don't fit. That we won't fit. It's telling me that I'm trying to make a square peg fit into a circle hole. 

One of my greatest fears has come alive. We don't fit anywhere anymore. Not even in Japan. Not even at home. 

Sesshoumaru sits idle, watching me from his careful position on the floor. Like he's afraid to disturb my bubble of thought, like he's going to break me if he comes too close. 

I close my eyes and try to remember the last time I belonged anywhere. It takes a few moments for me to pinpoint the last time I felt comfortable with anyone other then 

Sesshoumaru. That’s when it hits me, the last time I belonged was with Maks, Aleks and Demitri. They made me into an honorary family member, but even then, we had a language barrier stopping us and making things difficult. 

“What are you thinking about?” Sesshoumaru whispers, crawling over and lying next to me. 

“How we don't belong anywhere, not even here.” Even speaking Japanese feels foreign and exotic and it's my native tongue. 

“Is that all?” No of course that isn't all. I'm suppressing what I'm really thinking about because I'm still in shock. I just got back I don't want to have to say goodbye. 

“Yes.” He breathes in deeply, burying his nose into my neck.

“You're so human...” Comes from the demon with makeup on. 

“You say that like it's a bad thing.” In a way, it is a bad thing, humans die. 

“Why are you so worried about something so... futile.” 

“Haven't you ever just wanted to be? Not stand out or blend in. Just be. Just live instead of being the foreign one, or the one in the funny clothes, who's sick or the time traveller.” He shrugs softly. 

“No.” Yes, he has, I know he has because I can feel the insecurity in his voice. I take his unspoken answer but let it be. 

_______________________________________

I wake up crying, but I don't remember the dream. 

Sesshoumaru's strong hands shook me to consciousness. Wiping the tears away with the back of my hand I hold my breath to stop the sobs. 

“I-I d-don't kn-know why I'm c-c-crying!” I wail, becoming angry with the violent shaking that racks my body. He smooths my hair and steadies me. 

I want nothing more then to calm down and stop this embarrassment. I continue to hiccup and hold my breath until I calm down, swallowing the lump in my throat. 

I tear myself away from him, storming into my bathroom, splashing cold water onto my face. 

“This is so embarrassing. You shouldn't see me like this!” But he comes in anyways. Heading straight for me, he picks me up into his safe arms, carrying me back to bed. 

“You can be so stubborn. Why don't you understand that I'm the only one here.” 

“That's why it's embarrassing. Because in all seriousness, you're the only one that matters.”

____________________________________

End of Chapter Twenty Five


	26. Chapter 26

Part Seven: Tokyo

Chapter Twenty Six: 

“What were they like?” Sesshoumaru folds the newspaper to look at me. He wears a questionable expression. 

“Who?”

“Your parents, what were they like?” Shock appears momentarily. 

“Like parents are supposed to be.” We're the only ones in the house, which is how it has been for the past few days. Souta and Ayumi are at work and school, while we stay here. It's as if we're frozen in a continuous loop. 

“No. I want to know what you remember about them. Were they nice? Mean? Wise? Where did you grow up? How did you grow up?” That shocked look scrolls once more before he gives me a calculated reply. 

“My father taught me everything. My mother wasn't very compassionate, she was quite childish actually. My father was the compassionate one. My mother was quite wild and unruly at times, she toyed with the servants by playing tricks and pranks on them. My father was away quite a bit when I was younger, as I grew older he allowed me to come with him. He was conquering empires to help grow his own. He was creating a legacy.”

He paused for a moment, and then continued. “Then Izayoi appeared. I was no longer allowed to go with him on certain trips, especially when he was going to see her. 

Inuyasha was born and my father died. That's when my mother became especially unruly and spiteful against anyone who dared to disturb her. She took a new mate, and I left with Jaken.” He unfolds the cornered newspaper and the conversation ends. 

Poor Sesshoumaru never had a real relationship with his mother. Maybe in a way that is why he used to hate his brother so much. Inuyasha took away his father, the only family member he had. 

And now, my only parent is sick. The only person I have left now, is Souta. 

_________________________________________

We pile into Souta’s car to go see mom in the hospital. My stomach is in my throat the entire ride there. I don’t know what to expect but Souta has warned me that she is definitely not what she was like before I left. 

Ayumi keeps the mood light, chatting away about small things as I try to keep my breakfast down. 

We pull into the parking lot, and I throw my head between my knees for a few moments, trying to calm my frazzled nerves. 

Sesshoumaru puts his hand on my shoulder, steadying my breathing. Souta helps me out of the car and holds my hand as we enter the hospital. 

Climbing the stairs to her room, I count the steps. Each breath is one step, by the time we get there I’m out of breath, both Sesshoumaru and Souta are holding on to me as we enter. 

There she is, sitting up in the cold looking bed, staring out the window as gramps prattles on about absolutely nothing. Her skin hangs from her face, but she still wears a smile. Mama always wears a smile. Gramps stands wearily from his chair and hobbles over to where we’re standing. 

“It’s family only!” He shouts and my heart hurts. Souta reaches out to touch his shoulder and gramps pulls away abruptly. 

“Oh it’s alright grandpa they can come in. Kagome you look beautiful! I’ve missed you so much!” Tears prick at my eyes, my nose stings, and I have to close my eyes for a moment. Sesshoumaru grips my hand a little tighter, gramps is still blocking our way but he’s turned his attention to Sesshoumaru. 

“Inuyasha! Haven’t you caused enough grief in this family?” My heart hurts even more now and I start to cry. Sesshoumaru holds onto my arm now and closes his eyes. 

“Come now, I want everyone to come in.” Gramps shuffles away from me and sits in the chair in the corner while Sesshoumaru holds me steady. I make my way across the room, sitting on the end of her bed, and putting my hand on her shin. I’m still crying silently and all she does is smile at me. 

“Why don’t you introduce us?” She makes a small laboured gesture to Sesshoumaru, who’s perched behind me. 

“My name is Sesshoumaru.” He says and reaches out his hand gracefully. Mama smiles and takes his hand gently, the IV gives a bit of a tug when she does so and the stabbing feeling in my chest tightens. 

“Hello Sesshoumaru, I’m Kagome’s mother.” She doesn’t question anything, she just sits smiling and nodding. 

I melt into the foot of the bed, curling around her feet as everyone else finds a chair and sits. Souta looks tired, Ayumi does too, especially in the florescent lights of the hospital. Their bruised and purple skin below their eyes looks especially gruesome. I wonder if I look like that, especially now, with my nose running and eyes watering. 

Sesshoumaru shines stoically in his place near the window. 

Out of the corner of my eye I can see Gramps staring at him with a furrowed expression, as if he is waiting for his temper to burst through. But it won’t be the case with Sesshoumaru, he will always hold his emotions. 

Mama reaches over and puts her hand on my shoulder gently. 

“How are you dear?” I look at her with teary eyes. She looks so harsh, like a skeleton of her former self sitting in the bed. 

“I’m okay mama, how are you?” Whispering the words, I have to close my eyes again because I can’t look at her anymore. 

“For now I’m fine. How’s your job? Are you having fun travelling?” Her eyes are glassy and I can see she’s pushing the pain button. She will be asleep soon. 

“It’s good mama. It’s fun and I’m no longer alone.” I reach out a fumbling shaking hand to hold onto hers. 

Her skin is cold and clammy as I rub my thumb over her knuckles. Slowly, she closes her eyes, soft snoring escapes her just barely parted lips. Her breathing is laboured and slow as she slips into a drug induced sleep. 

Souta touches my shoulder as him, Ayumi and Gramps leave the room. Sesshoumaru and I stay. He sits in the chair close to the window and I remain curled around her feet, listening to the rasps of her breath. 

“She was beautiful.” My voice is small in the cold tiled room. I hear him get up and sit next to my head, careful not to disturb her. 

“Her smile was even more beautiful when she wasn’t sick. It filled a whole room with light.” Eyes stinging I pull my hands close to my face.

He places a reassuring hand on my shoulder, stroking his long fingers across the rough fabric of my sweater. He doesn’t say anything, he just keeps rubbing small circles, but in that motion he says it all and I feel the smallest bit better. 

_______________________________________

We go to visit her every single day. I wake up every morning and help Ayumi with breakfast, help Souta with cleaning the shrine, Sesshoumaru helps too. After a while he and Ayumi swap cooking duty back and forth, and we are so well fed I’m afraid I will get fat. 

The four of us form a small bond and none of us say anything about it. We are just there for each other. 

I think Sesshoumaru enjoys the time he spends with us, I even think he enjoys going to the hospital to visit my mom. 

Sometimes, the three of us sit and chat. Mama wants to know everything about him and what he did for all those years of being alive. She asks so many questions. 

We’re leaving the hospital one evening, he holds my hand and gives it a squeeze as we wait for the bus together. The air is chilled against my minimally exposed skin. 

“She’s a lot like you.” He whispers to the air for just me to hear. 

“What do you mean?”

“She’s interested in the world around her and how it works and she wants to know everything. It’s the same quality you have.”

“Yeah? She’s nosey?” I give a small weak laugh. 

“She doesn’t have much time left.” His tone is somber now and I know he’s telling me this so I won’t be too shocked when the time comes. 

“I know…I can see it in her eyes.” 

____________________________________

Mama passes on a Tuesday morning. 

Her condition declined rapidly and in the end machines did everything for her. It didn’t make it any less painful. 

Sesshoumaru held me the whole time as I cried. 

___________________________________

Mom left the house to me since I am the oldest. 

Not soon after everything was settled, Souta takes a job in Osaka. I don’t blame him, I spent so much time away, now it’s his turn to have some time alone and away. It’s his turn to have his own responsibilities while I take care of this. 

Everyone's gone again and there's nothing left to do. The house is clean courtesy of Ayumi, and I don't want to cook. 

I scan my book shelves. Perhaps something to read will sustain me from boredom. 

That's when I see it, just below my graduation photo. Sandwiched in between a photo of Yuka and a photo of Eri, is a very familiar face. It snarls at me from where it sits. 

“Inuyasha.” I whisper. His brows are furrowed, eyes blazing with anger, teeth barred against whatever is attacking him. 

I remember when this was taken, exactly when. He didn't know what the camera was, Shippo held it as I explained when the flash went off and so did he. It was horrible. 

Who knew that this was the photo I kept. 

But in the same way, this photo was him. It was part of him, a small facet of who he really was. This was the part of him I helped to soothe, the part of him I kept at bay. 

Funny, how what Inuyasha wanted to become, a full demon, is what I fell in love with. 

____________________________________________

Souta and Ayumi move out. They pack their things slowly, leaving slowly, for my sake, not theirs. 

Soon it's just us. Us and this house. The house that's so quiet it moans. The house that's so big it's going to swallow me up. 

We fall into our casual silence, but this time it's different because I'm the one who starts it. 

It's Monday and I don’t have to worry about work for now, and that's alright. The sun is just rising when I get out of bed. The same one from high school. The same one 

Inuyasha and I used to sleep in. The same one that’s plagued with memories. 

I skirt through the crowded house full of memories, and breathe the cold fresh unclouded air of winter from the outside. The snow blankets the ground around me, making everything quiet and soft. 

My feet take me on a shoeless journey to where I first met that stupid boy. 

The tree moans in the chill air, its bark rough and weathered. The flowers of spring and summer no longer gracing its low hanging branches. The hole from the arrow still there, the mark from his body that sat idle for fifty years is still there. 

I take a step closer, breathing in sharply. Nothing happens. I don't feel anything, and I certainly don't see anything. Because of that alone, my heart sinks. 

Heading back to the house I see the shed. Perhaps, Maybe. I have to try. 

Throwing open the doors a rush of cool air bursts inside. Bounding down the steps, over the lip of the well I hurtle myself into the abyss, closing my eyes tightly. Nothing happens, as expected, and I can’t help but cry. 

Curling up in the cold on the dirt that's over grown with dead weeds and roots, I weep. In my self-loathing for leaving in the first place. I cry for my grandfather, and what he can't remember. For Shippo, Sango, Kaede and even Miroku. For Rin and Jaken, Sesshoumaru's father and his mother. I sob. 

But most of all, I cry for my mom. Who didn't deserve to fight a losing battle, and die. She deserved for me to come back and care for her. I did come back after all, but I left so quickly after that. I came back originally to see her, but my heart was weak and wanted to leave. 

I cry for Inuyasha and everything we left undone. Everything we left unsaid. I cry for how selfish I was, how selfish I am. 

“Kagome?” His voice startles me and I silence my sobs. I wipe my tears away with frozen blue hands and look up.

Sesshoumaru looks down at me from the opening. He climbs over the top and envelopes me with his arms, draping my comforter over both of us. He sticks his nose into my neck breathing. 

“Kagome.” He says my name like it's an answer to an unknown question. I close my eyes and sink. I can feel as he takes a deep breath. 

“Why are you so worried about fitting in? I don't understand your logic. You fit here.” 

“I guess, but even you know how to fit in places other than with me. I fit here and nowhere else, unlike you. You obviously belong if you've survived this long.” I'm looking at him now. The marks on his face and arms are almost visible through a day old coat of makeup. 

He's wonderful and out of place. His eyes hesitate. 

“No. Say what you were about to say.” He closes his eyes. 

“You think you don't fit, but you do. The reason you don't fit is me. You look at me and I know all you see is beauty. Others see something different, and because of that, we don't fit the mould.” His lips form a hard line then soften. His eyes close and he breathes out. 

He's right, and for that I close my eyes and accept becoming an outsider gladly. 

______________________________________________

End of Chapter Twenty Six


	27. Chapter 27

Part Seven: Tokyo

Chapter Twenty Seven:

That night I dream. 

I dream of a blue sky so bright it hurts my eyes. I dream of clouds and grass and a whole little world. 

I dream that I am lying in the grass, letting it envelope me in warmth, closing my eyes and enjoying the sun. 

A shadow moves across my blind vision, blocking out the endless light. 

I can feel his presence, I don’t want to open my eyes for I fear he isn’t actually there. 

“Open your eyes” He tells me, his voice nothing but a whisper. The tears prick, falling from closed eye lids. 

“I can’t” My voice is nothing more then a trembling shadow. 

“Yes you can…” His hand brushes my face, my eyes snap open, and there he is. 

“Inu…Inuyasha!” I let the tears fall, leaping to my feet and throwing my arms around his neck. Embracing him tightly I can feel his body under my touch, gently, he wraps his arms around me. 

“I missed you” His voice is sweet and soft, his arms much the same. 

“I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” I yell. He does nothing but stroke my back. 

“I know… I know…” Calm, he brushes my hair away. 

I didn’t mean to leave him, I thought the well would accept us both, that’s what was supposed to happen. 

We were supposed to cross over to see my family one last time, to say a proper goodbye. Then we were supposed to come back. But the only one who made it through was me. 

I left him all alone after an unbreakable promise to stay forever. 

And now I’m here dreaming of him while I’m in love with his brother. 

“It’s okay…everything is alright.” He kisses my forehead lightly before pulling away. 

“Are you happy?” His question catches me off guard and I don’t know what to say at first. Then, it hits me, I am happy. The moments I spend with Sesshoumaru bring me happiness. 

“I am” 

“That’s all that matters” This time with him, is time that I am using to mend what I felt I’d broken. My guilt has been controlling my life and I finally feel like I have closure. 

I do not want to live this life I have filled with guilt. 

My soul feels lighter, even free, like a little bird in my heart has been set free.

_____________________________________

When I get up the next morning, he isn't there. I don't panic, instead I get out of bed and go downstairs. 

I make coffee, enough for two and try to make breakfast, well lunch considering it's far past noon. 

Sesshoumaru comes home to me screaming at a pan.

I throw it into the sink, all he does is raise an eyebrow. “I can't cook.”

“I know that.” I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. 

“You don't have to admit it so readily.” I whisper. He crosses the kitchen holding onto something wrapped in cloth. 

“Here.” He passes it to me. 

“Put it on, we're going out.” Oh god, all I can picture is it's something from his Vegas days that's arrived from Russia. 

Leaving the room I formulate a plan on how I will escape whatever he's got in mind. 

The kimono within the cloth is breath taking though. Thick with embroidery and layers, I put on as much as I can before admitting defeat. 

“Help?” He slides into the room as if he was waiting for my call. Blushing he ties me up. 

“Thank you.” He's wearing traditional clothes that match my own. 

I look in the mirror and finally see something he's seen all along. The fact that we fit, we match. 

We belong. 

____________________________________

“Are you going to tell me where we're going?”

“No.” He says in a final statement. I see his lip twitch into an unseen smile. 

“Alright then.” I stay quiet for the rest of the train ride, looking at the people all bundled up. 

We get off and I take hold of his hand. He leads me into the centre of a festival. 

“This, is a festival held every year for the kind hearted demon who vanquished the villagers of all the vermin that plagued them.” He states this matter of factly and I nod slowly, looking at everything. 

“That demon, was me.”

“Excuse me?” I see his sideways glance. 

“My palace was here, right on the outskirts of the village. I protected this place while Rin and her family lived here. The festival was Rin’s idea.”

Everything is decorated with white, red and gold. Giant characterized dog demons hang in every window and from every lamp post. 

“This is all for you?” 

“Well the great dog demon of the West.” I roll my eyes, what a title. 

“It's beautiful.” The sun is just setting as the festival begins. 

He takes me to the booths that sell food and trinkets, all dog demon themed. One booth even retells the story of the heroic demon through the use of puppets. 

Sesshoumaru is depicted as an enormous dog with a large fluffy tail and cold red eyes. We laugh, and he even smiles. 

The entire town is covered in streamers, lanterns, and balloons. Women, men, and children wonder through the streets in their finest. 

We eat and are stared at by the watching and curious eyes who seem to envy something. “Look, she's staring you down.” I tell him over my mug as we lounge in a small tea shop. He shakes his head closing his eyes.

“Wow. She's really fascinated by you. I think you have a secret admirer.” 

“Maybe she's looking at you?” He's the only one looking at me. 

Leaving the shop, we shake her prying eyes, while strolling towards the train in the dark. 

“Face it, you're a real head turner.” I whisper. 

“So are you.” 

____________________________________

We come back to the house and it feels full. Like hundreds of people fill every room, even though it's dark as we walk through the door. 

I no longer feel so alone in this house. It's as if a weight has been lifted from my weak shoulders. 

In a way it has. In a way, I've won the race. I had spent so much time consumed by running away and looking for exits, that I had forgotten my way back. I even forgot what fears I was running from, but I finally found what I was running for. 

I was running for freedom from fears and anxieties from the past that no longer exist. 

I've finally crossed the finish line, I've finally won the prize. The place where I belong has been here from the beginning, I just never knew. 

_____________________________________________

Fin.


	28. Fin

Epilogue: 

I catch him smiling at me from the corner of my eye as I slide the most perfect omelette I have ever made onto his plate. 

“Much better then last time” He chides lightly, I place the pan into the sink and take a seat across the table from him. 

“Last time was just a disaster! But this time is better! I think my cooking has gotten a lot better since we’ve been home.” The word slips off my tongue with such ease that I don’t even really notice anything weird about calling this home. 

Japan has always been my home, I just needed a little while to wander my way back to it again. I needed a few adventures to get over myself and return to where I needed to be, to where I belong. 

I move my food around my plate, not completely hungry yet and I can see Sesshoumaru raise a brow. 

“I feel like there’s one more thing I need to do, for closure of the past.” I can see the perplexed look in his eyes as his face remains immobile. 

“It’s the spring, that’s when Inuyasha and I destroyed the jewel.” His name falls from my lips with not a single feeling of guilt. I close my eyes for a moment before continuing. 

“I want to hold a festival at the shrine, in honour of everyone who helped to destroy the jewel.” He smiles and I feel proud. 

“We can do that.” Is all he says before returning to reading the paper. 

“Let’s make it big, I want to tell the whole story.” 

______________________________________________

I choose a date and start to plan. The festival is going to last for three days, there will be lantern lighting, food and of course a puppet show to recant the tale of a brave half demon and a band of misfits. 

Sesshoumaru helps me with the preparations. He calls all of the food vendors and orders too many desserts and not enough real food. 

“I don’t see how too many desserts is a problem” He tells me over breakfast one morning. 

“We do not need twenty two ice cream stands. We need more real food. We can make do with four different ice cream stands.” Shooting him a stern look I can see him chuckle. 

I have banned Sesshoumaru from organizing anything to do with desserts. His only task is to make sure we have enough decorations for the whole grounds. 

xxx

“I’m going to see how the puppets are coming along, would you like to come?” I ask from the door way, my coat already on. Sesshoumaru sits in the kitchen, reading once again. 

“Yes, can we drop this off on the way?” He holds up a piece of paper. 

“Sure? Where are we dropping it off?” I take it from his grasp while he puts on his shoes. 

“There’s a company who is hiring a sales representative and I would like to apply.” He takes the paper back. 

“It’s a resume? You’re applying as a sales rep? Wait what?” 

“We have roots now, I would like to have a job. I am growing bored of reading. I’ve read everything you own.” 

“Do you have credentials? Do you have references? Do you even have schooling?” I’m too floored to be able to process this. 

“I have everything.” He holds the door open for me, motioning for me to leave the house.

“You have so many secrets…” He pats my butt as I slither through the open door.

“None of them are interesting I promise you.” 

Oh but they are…

___________________________________

“This is you.” I hold up the little white demon dog puppet for his inspection. He takes it with a scrutinizing look. 

“I am fiercer looking then this.” 

“Of course you are! We just didn’t have enough supplies to make you bigger. Plus, children will be present, so we couldn’t put blood spilling from your mouth.” All of the puppets lay on the table. The monk, the demon slayer, the little fox, the half demon and the un named priestess with their unseeing little eyes stare. 

The tiny little Inuyasha sitting next to the un named priestess, so small, so fragile on the table. 

_________________________________

In the following few weeks, Sesshoumaru and I advertise the festival. We put up flyers at local cafes, we even rent a sign on a truck to drive around and inform people of what’s going on. 

Slowly, I gather all the decorations I want. Slowly, they arrive and after a few days of staring at them I muster up the energy to put them up. 

With Sesshoumaru’s help, we get the grounds ready. 

He stands at the top of the steps with me, his clothes dirty from cleaning out the storage house. We admire our hard work as the sun sets gently behind the trees, settling in to let the moon out. 

I take hold of his hand, squeezing it tightly. My stomach knots itself with an anxious feeling. 

The entire shrine is decorated for the festival and tomorrow is the day that we can unveil it to the awaiting eyes. 

“What if no one comes…” I whisper so quietly that I think he is the only person who hears it. Squeezing my hand gently, he pulls me into his shoulder. 

“They will come, and if they don’t we can enjoy this together.” He kisses the top of my head and I feel reassured. 

_________________________________

The food vendors arrive bright and early, I can barely make it out of bed so Sesshoumaru tells them where to set up. I don’t think I slept a wink last night, between the anxiety dreams and anxious feelings I found little solace in the demon sleeping peacefully next to me. 

I envied him, I even hated him. He felt no anxiety, no fear, didn’t even seem to be phased by the fact that we are trying to put on a festival that could potentially have thousands of people in attendance. 

Making my way down the stairs I make it to the kitchen and put the kettle on. From the window I can see Sesshoumaru helping the food vendors set up their carts, I even catch him sneaking a few bites from the dessert stands. 

He comes in to find me staring at my empty mug. 

“The fireworks just arrived.” He tells me, pulling out his chair. I forgot about the fireworks how could I forget about the fireworks! He sees the panic enter my eyes and places a reassuring hand over mind. 

“I took care of it and told them where to set up, they’re taking care of the rest.” Letting out a breath I envy him. I envy his stupid pretty hair and his stupid ability to not feel stress. It must be a demon thing, they’re just devoid of all my silly human emotions. 

“Souta and Ayumi will be arriving soon. I should start to get ready.” Leaving the table I make my way up the stairs, counting them as I go. 

When I reach the top, I’ve counted to ten and only feel marginally better. The anxiety still weighs heavily on my stomach and I don’t think I’ll be able to enjoy any of that delicious food. The aromas waft into the open windows and I can feel my stomach protest. 

Sitting on my bed, Sesshoumaru has laid out our clothes for the day. My heart hurts a little as I touch the red fabric of my hakama. 

Next to my red lies Sesshoumaru’s armour, shiny and looking like new. I know he stayed up a few nights ago and polished it for hours until it looked the way it did 500 years ago. He spent so much time repairing his old clothes, mending them until they were returned to their glory. 

He pulled them out of storage as soon as I suggested we hold a festival. 

I think, secretly, he was nervous. Something about the way he moved told me so. 

This thought helps me get ready. At least I’m not the only one worried about seeing the past once more. 

____________________________________

After I’ve gotten over myself and my small fears and have finally gotten dressed, Sesshoumaru does the same. 

When he emerges from our bedroom I hold my breath as to not let out a gasp. Standing in the doorway it’s like something clicks. 

The great and terrible war lord I once knew has returned, but he is different. The Sesshoumaru I once knew was blood thirsty, cold and seemed rather discontent. 

This Sesshoumaru was warm, kind and above all loving. His clothes were slightly different too, we couldn’t find the exact shade of red to re dye his faded kimono. The red we found was warmer, almost like a reflection of his heart. Somehow his yellow and indigo obi was lost in its many years of storage. 

We looked for hours in the store shed he rented and could find no trace of it. Much to his dismay we went out and bought a new one, he settled on a deep navy. 

He was the same, yet different and that’s what is important. 

“You look kind…” The words escape my lips before I have time to think. He’s looking in the mirror, adjusting his armour slightly. 

“Oh I do?” His smile spreads over his face and melts my heart. He takes me into his arms and I feel like I can do anything. 

“Shall we? People will be arriving soon.” I take his hand, leading the way.

_____________________________________

Standing at the top of the steps, we watch as hundreds of people flock to the shrine. Dressed in their finest, the throngs of people wander through, looking at all our decorations in awe. 

We hung lanterns all throughout the court yard to be lit once it got dark. Streamers and good luck charms were hanging on all the food vendors carts. 

A small booth selling charms and sutras was set up near the entrance and almost everyone in attendance bought one. 

“Hey sis!” Souta climbs the steps two at a time, hugging me tightly when he gets to the top. 

“You look like a proper priestess!” He gives a laugh and I shoot him a look. 

“I am a proper priestess!” Ayumi joins us, her hair curled with small ornaments adorning it. Her kimono matches Souta’s in colour. They both wear navy and white, her kimono has little flowers all over it and her obi matches. 

“You look beautiful” I tell her and she bows blushing. 

“Thank you Kagome! So do you!” I can see Sesshoumaru smile from the corner of my eye. 

We wander with them through the maze of food stands, nibbling on little treats the whole time. Little kids run around and play with our souvenirs. Couples hold hands in their traditional clothing, I think a few of them are even on first dates. 

I feel like I’ve made an impact, like I have done my friends proud. These people in attendance will remember this, even if it’s just for a moment. They will know the people that I once knew, that we once knew. 

I have my closure, I can seal the past away and not have to think about it again with worry and dismay. This is what I needed. 

_____________________________________

Finally the sun begins to set, all the lanterns are lit and people begin to make their way over to the puppet theatre. 

Just in front of us, a little girl no older then eight wanders alone, looking at the lanterns with awe. Her mother catches up to her, chiding her lightly. 

“Look how pretty they are mom! It’s like they’re filled with fireflies!” She looks around, taking them all in. Her long dark hair is pulled into a messy little bun, combs and charms sticking out from every which way. Her yukata is only the smallest bit too short and reveals a little too much of her calves. She smiles a little toothy grin before her mom shoos her over to the theatre. 

That’s when I see it, the smallest hint of hurt on his face. He misses her, he misses Rin. I give his hand a squeeze. 

“Are you alright?” My voice is barely a whisper. 

“Sometimes I miss her, the way she would follow me. It’s futile though, I will never have her back to the age that I miss.” I give his hand a soft squeeze and we take our seats. 

The puppet show begins and I can feel myself holding my breath, hoping that everything goes according to plan. It’s so surreal seeing everything we have been working so hard for to come to light. 

The story plays out and I know it so well. It feels refreshing to look at it from the outside. The puppets fly across the stage as the story unfolds and when the jewel is destroyed the fireworks start. I can see all the children gasp and cheer in awe. It’s perfect in every way, except for the ending. 

The ending is wrong, or better yet it is no longer true. In the show the puppet priestess settles with the half demon and they belong in the feudal era, but in this ending, the real ending the priestess comes home. Her once selfish reasons no longer eating away at her. 

The real ending is filled with possibilities and choices. The real ending is one where the priestess is no longer looking for exits or escape plans. This ending has a future. 

I look at Sesshoumaru and I can see in his eyes what I’ve always been looking for, a future. 

_________________________________________

Fin.


End file.
